moments she grew closer to him than she had ever been in the
past. Had her father and mother done right by him? Her pulse
stirred with unwonted quickness. She did not speak, but she
kissed him, which, for her, was an indication of unusual feeling.
And when he recovered command over his emotions he made no
reference to his breakdown, nor did she. But that scene struck
deep into Madeline Hammond's heart. Through it she saw what he
had lost and gained.

"Alfred, why did you not answer my last letters?" asked Madeline.
"I had not heard from you for two years."

"So long? How time flies! Well, things went bad with me about the
last time I heard from you. I always intended to write some day,
but I never did."

"Things went wrong? Tell me."

"Majesty, you mustn't worry yourself with my troubles. I want you
to enjoy your stay and not be bothered with my difficulties."

"Please tell me. I suspected something had gone wrong. That is
partly why I decided to come out."

"All right; if you must know," he began; and it seemed to
Madeline that there was a gladness in his decision to unburden
himself. "You remember all about my little ranch, and that for a
while I did well raising stock? I wrote you all that. Majesty,
a man makes enemies anywhere. Perhaps an Eastern man in the West
can make, if not so many, certainly more bitter ones. At any