〃No；　the　description　is　imaginary。　Is　your　interest
  in　the　old　lady　whom　you　describe　a　personal　one？〃
  〃Never　saw　her　in　my　life。　She's　painted　entirely
  from　fancy。　She　owns　the　little　piece　of　property　where　I
  earn　my　bread　and　butter　…　the　Rancho　de　las　Sombras。
  I　drove　up　to　meet　her　according　to　arrangement　with
  her　lawyer。〃
  Octavia　leaned　against　the　wall　of　the　telegraph　office。
  Was　this　possible？　And　didn't　he　know？
  〃Are　you　the　manager　of　that　ranch？〃　she　asked
  weakly。
  〃I　am；〃　said　Teddy；　with　pride。
  〃I　am　Mrs。　Beaupree；〃　said　Octavia　faintly；　〃but　my
  hair　never　would　curl；　and　I　was　polite　to　the　conductor。〃
  For　a　moment　that　strange；　grown…up　look　came　back；
  and　removed　Teddy　miles　away　from　her。
  〃I　hope　you'll　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　rather　awkwardly。
  〃You　see；　I've　been　down　here　in　the　chaparral　a　year。
  I　hadn't　heard。　Give　me　your　checks；　please；　and　I'll
  have　your　traps　loaded　into　the　wagon。　Jos？will　follow
  with　them。　We　travel　ahead　in　the　buckboard。〃
  Seated　by　Teddy　in　a　feather…weight　buckboard；　behind
  a　pair　of　wild；　cream…coloured　Spanish　ponies；　Octavia
  abandoned　all　thought　for　the　exhilaration　of　the　present。
  They　swept　out　of　the　little　town　and　down　the　level　road
  toward　the　south。　Soon　the　road　dwindled　and　dis…
  appeared；　and　they　struck　across　a　world　carpeted　with
  an　endless　reach　of　curly　mesquite　grass。　The　wheels
  made　no　sound。　The　tireless　ponies　bounded　ahead　at
  an　unbroken　gallop。　The　temperate　wind；　made　fragrant
  by　thousands　of　acres　of　blue　and　yellow　wild　flowers；
  roared　gloriously　in　their　ears。　The　motion　was　a雛ial；
  ecstatic；　with　a　thrilling　sense　of　perpetuity　in　its　effect。
  Octavia　sat　silent；　possessed　by　a　feeling　of　elemental；
  sensual　bliss。　Teddy　seemed　to　be　wrestling　with　some
  internal　problem。
  〃I'm　going　to　call　you　madama；〃　he　announced　as　the
  result　of　his　labours。　〃That　is　what　the　Mexicans　will
  call　you　　they're　nearly　all　Mexicans　on　the　ranch；
  you　know。　That　seems　to　me　about　the　proper　thing。〃
  〃Very　well；　Mr。　Westlake；〃　said　Octavia；　primly。
  〃Oh；　now；〃　said　Teddy；　in　some　consternation；　〃that's
  carrying　the　thing　too　far；　isn't　it？〃
  〃Don't　worry　me　with　your　beastly　etiquette。　I'm
  just　beginning　to　live。　Don't　remind　me　of　anything
  artificial。　If　only　this　air　could　be　bottled！　This　much
  alone　is　worth　coming　for。　Oh；　look　I　there　goes　a　deer！〃
  〃Jack…rabbit；〃　said　Teddy；　without　turning　his　head。
  〃Could　I　　might　I　drive？〃　suggested　Octavia；　pant…
  ing；　with　rose…tinted　cheeks　and　the　eye　of　an　eager　child。
  〃On　one　condition。　Could　I　　might　I　smoke？　〃
  〃Forever！〃　cried　Octavia；　taking　the　lines　with　solemn
  joy。　〃How　shall　I　know　which　way　to　drive？〃
  〃Keep　her　sou'　by　sou'east；　and　all　sail　set。　You　see
  that　black　speck　on　the　horizon　under　that　lowermost
  Gulf　cloud？　That's　a　group　of　live…oaks　and　a　land…
  mark。　Steer　halfway　between　that　and　the　little　hill　to
  the　left。　I'll　recite　you　the　whole　code　of　driving　rules
  for　the　Texas　prairies：　keep　the　reins　from　under　the
  horses'　feet；　and　swear　at　'em　frequent。〃
  〃I'm　too　happy　to　swear；　Ted。　Oh；　why　do　people
  buy　yachts　or　travel　in　palace…cars；　when　a　buckboard
  and　a　pair　of　plugs　and　a　spring　morning　like　this　can
  satisfy　all　desire？〃
  〃Now；　I'll　ask　you；〃　protested　Teddy；　who　was　futilely
  striking　match　after　match　on　the　dashboard；　〃not　to
  call　those　denizens　of　the　air　plugs。　They　can　kick　out
  a　hundred　miles　between　daylight　and　dark。〃　At　last
  he　succeeded　in　snatching　a　light　for　his　cigar　from　the
  flame　held　in　the　hollow　of　his　hands。
  〃Room！〃　said　Octavia；　intensely。　〃That's　what
  produces　the　effect。　I　know　now　what　I've　wanted
  scope　　range　　room！　〃
  〃Smoking…room；〃　said　Teddy；　unsentimentally。　〃I
  love　to　smoke　in　a　buckboard。　The　wind　blows　the　smoke
  into　you　and　out　again。　It　saves　exertion。〃
  The　two　fell　so　naturally　into　their　old…time　goodfellow…
  ship　that　it　was　only　by　degrees　that　a　sense　of　the　strange…
  ness　of　the　new　relations　between　them　came　to　be　felt。
  〃Madama；〃　said　Teddy；　wonderingly；　〃however　did
  you　get　it　into　your　bead　to　cut　the　crowd　and　come　down
  here？　Is　it　a　fad　now　among　the　upper　classes　to　trot
  off　to　sheep　ranches　instead　of　to　Newport？〃
  〃I　was　broke；　Teddy；〃　said　Octavia；　sweetly；　with　her
  interest　centred　upon　steering　safely　between　a　Spanish
  dagger　plant　and　a　clump　of　chaparral；　〃I　haven't　a
  thing　in　the　world　but　this　ranch　　not　even　any　other
  home　to　go　to。〃
  〃Come；　now；〃　said　Teddy；　anxiously　but　ineredu…
  lously；　〃you　don't　mean　it？〃
  〃When　my　husband；〃　said　Octavia；　with　a　shy　slurring
  of　the　word；　〃died　three　months　ago　I　thought　I　had　a
  reasonable　amount　of　the　world's　goods。　His　lawyer
  exploded　that　theory　in　a　sixty…minute　fully　illustrated
  lecture。　I　took　to　the　sheep　as　a　last　resort。　Do　you
  happen　to　know　of　any　fashionable　caprice　among　the
  gilded　youth　of　Manhattan　that　induces　them　to　abandon
  polo　and　club　windows　to　become　managers　of　sheep
  ranches？〃
  〃It's　easily　explained　in　my　case；〃　responded　Teddy；
  promptly。　〃I　had　to　go　to　work。　I　couldn't　have　earned
  my　board　in　New　York；　so　I　chummed　a　while　with　old
  Sandford；　one　of　the　syndicate　that　owned　the　ranch　before
  Colonel　Beaupree　bought　it；　and　got　a　place　down　here。
  I　wasn't　manager　at　first。　I　jogged　around　on　ponies　and
  studied　the　business　in　detail；　until　I　got　all　the　points　in
  my　head。　I　saw　where　it　was　losing　and　what　the　reme…
  dies　were；　and　then　Sandford　put　me　in　charge。　I　get　a
  hundred　dollars　a　month；　and　I　earn　it。〃
  〃Poor　Teddy！〃　said　Octavia；　with　a　smile。
  〃You　needn't。　I　like　it。　I　save　half　my　wages；　and
  I'm　as　hard　as　a　water　plug。　It　beats　polo。〃
  〃Will　it　furnish　bread　and　tea　and　jam　for　another　out…
  cast　from　civilization？〃
  〃The　spring　shearing；〃　said　the　manager；　〃just　cleaned
  up　a　deficit　in　last　year's　business。　Wastefulness　and
  inattention　have　been　the　rule　heretofore。　The　autumn
  clip　will　leave　a　small　profit　over　all　expenses。　Next
  year　there　will　be　jam。〃
  When；　about　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　the　ponies
  rounded　a　gentle；　brush…covered　hill；　and　then　swooped；
  like　a　double　cream…coloured　cyclone；　upon　the　Rancho
  de　las　Sombras；　Octavia　gave　a　little　cry　of　delight。　A
  lordly　grove　of　magnificent　live…oaks　cast　an　area　of
  grateful；　cool　shade；　whence　the　ranch　had　drawn　its
  name；　〃de　las　Sombras〃　　of　the　shadows。　The　house；
  of　red　brick；　one　story；　ran　low　and　long　beneath　the　trees。
  Through　its　middle；　dividing　its　six　rooms　in　half；　extended
  a　broad；　arched　passageway；　picturesque　with　flowering
  cactus　and　hanging　red　earthern　jars。　A　〃gallery；〃　low
  and　broad；　encircled　the　building。　Vines　climbed　about
  it；　and　the　adjacent　ground　was；　for　a　space；　covered　with
  transplanted　grass　and　shrubs。　A　little　lake；　long　and
  narrow；　glimmered　in　the　sun　at　the　rear。　Further　away
  stood　the　shacks　of　the　Mexican　workers；　the　corrals；
  wool　sheds　and　shearing　pens。　To　the　right　lay　the　low
  hills；　splattered　with　dark　patches　of　chaparral；　to　the
  left　the　unbounded　green　prairie　blending　against　the　blue
  heavens。
  〃It's　a　home；　Teddy；〃　said　Octavia；　breathlessly；
  that's　what　it　is　　it's　a　home。〃
  〃Not　so　bad　for　a　sheep　ranch；〃　admitted　Teddy；　with
  excusable　pride。　〃I've　been　tinkering　on　it　at　odd　times。〃
  A　Mexican　youth　sprang　from　somewhere　in　the　grass；
  and　took　charge　of　the　creams。　The　mistress　and　the
  manager　entered　the　house。
  〃Here's　Mrs。　MacIntyre；〃　said　Teddy；　as　a　placid；
  neat；　elderly　lady　came　out　upon　the　gallery　to　meet
  them。　〃Mrs。　Mac；　here's　the　boss。　Very　likely　she
  will　be　wanting　a　hunk　of　ham　and　a　dish　of　beans　after
  her　drive。〃
  Mrs。　MacIntyre；　the　housekeeper；　as　much　a　fixture
  on　the　place　as　the　lake　or　the　live…oaks；　received　the
  imputation　of　the　ranch's　resources　of　refreshment　with
  mild　indignation；　and　was　about　to　give　it　utterance　when
  Octavia　spoke。
  〃Oh；　Mrs。　MacIntyre；　don't　apologize　for　Teddy。
  Yes；　I　call　him　Teddy。　So　does　every　one　whom　he
  hasn't　duped　into　taking　him　seriously。　You　see；　we
  used　to　cut　paper　dolls　and　play　jackstraws　together　ages
  ago。　No　one　minds　what　he　says。〃
  〃No；〃　said　Teddy；　〃no　one　minds　what　he　says；　just
  so　he　doesn't　do　it　again。〃
  Octavia　cast　one　of　those　subtle；　sidelong　glances
  toward　him　from　beneath　her　lowered　eyelids　　a　glance
  that　Teddy　used　to　describe　as　an　upper…cut。　But　there
  was　nothing　in　his　ingenuous；　weather…tanned　face　to
  warrant　a　suspicion　that　he　was　making　an　allusion
  nothing。　Beyond　a　doubt；　thought　Octavia；　he　had
  forgotten。
  〃Mr。　Westlake　likes　his　fun；〃　said　Mrs。　Maclntyre；　as
  she　conducted　Octavia　to　her　rooms。　〃But；〃　she　added；
  loyally；　〃people　around　here　usually　pay　attention　to
  what　he　says　when　he　talks　in　earnest。　I　don't　know
  what　would