Wild Youth, Volume 1.

ever mounted a cayuse, in a Wild West play. Yet on this particular day,-when the whole prairie country was alive with light, thrilling with elixir from the bottle of old E

, crisper curls which in their thickness made a kind of furry cap. It was like the coat of a French poodle, so glossy and so companionable was it to the head. A bright handkerchief of scarlet was tied loosely around his throat, which was even a little more bare than was the average ranchman's; and his thick, much-pocketed flannel shirt, worn in place of a waistcoat and coat, was of a sh

ed him as far as it did, had it not been for three things: the extraordinary good nature which made him giggle; the fact that on more than one occasion he had given conclusive evidence tha

of shady character, had remarked that he had the name of an impostor and the frame of a fop; but he wasn't sure, as a la

emselves. There were names semi-scriptural and semi-foreign in Askatoon, but no name like Orlando Guise had ever come that way before, and nothing like the man himself had ever ridden the Askatoon trails. One thing had to be said, however; he rode the trail like a broncho-buster, and he sat his horse as though h

d Offenbach, and the operatic jingles of that type of composer. Orlando Guise had come by his outward showiness naturally. Yet he was not like his mother, save in this particular. His mother was flighty and had no sense, while he, behind the gaiety of his wardrobe and his giggle

d, either! Money-what won't we do for money, Mary? But if she's as young as they say, she could have waited a bit for the oof-bird to fly her way. Lots of men h

ere else. That was the strain of romance in him which came from his mixed ancestry. It was the froth and bubble of a dreamer's legacy, which had made his mother, always unconsciously theatrical, have a vision of a life on the prairies, with the white mountains in the distance, where her beloved son would be ma

with silver conchs, and a saddle with stirrups inlaid with silver. Wherefore, it was no wonder that most people stared and wondered, while some sne

cavalier approach, he snorted; and he would have b

"Wants taking down some, and he's

repellent figure by a brusque giggle, and further e

us of Cain. It was jealous, ravenous, grim: old age hating the rich, robust, panting youth of the man be fore him. Was it that being half man, half beast, he had some animal instinct concerning this young rou

zarine steadied himself and said: "Come about

Guise

iggering at?" sn

good report of the beasts, but I want to look them over. My head cattleman told you what I'd do. That'

dred or so cattle were grazing in a little dip of the country between them and Askatoon. "I'll get my buckboard. It's all hitched up and ready,

ld man. "Some people ride horses to show themsel

"Say, we mustn't get sc

to make a

rd bumped, tumbled and plunged into the holes of the gophers and coyotes, but the o

d the old man fought stubbornly for it; and though Orlando giggled, it was clear he was no fool at a bargain, and that he had many resources. At last he threw doubt upon the pedigree of

as really like baiting a bull. Every thrust made this bull more angry; and Orlando knew that if he became angry enough he could bring thi

ncing to glance up he saw a face at a window, pale, exquisite, delicate, with eyes

at of old Joel Mazarine, but a new, fresh, vibrant voice which broke into little spells of inconsequent laughter. She loved inconsequent laughter, and never heard it at Tralee. She had crept from

hat man meant. This romantic, picturesque, buoyant figure of youth struck her as the rock was struck by Moses; and for the first time in all her days she was wholly alive. Also, for the fir

w steps towards the gate in an effort to recover himself. When he turned again to meet Mazarine, who had a paper in his hand, there was a flush on his cheek and a new light in his eye. Th

he handed it back and said slowly: "That gives you the extra

antly. How should he know by what

I'll fill it in." "A cheque ain

ming for a stallion I want to sell. Give me a hundred dollars cash now to clinch the bargain, and I'll meet you at Askatoon

ot that, and a dollar besides, in my pocket. To-morrow you go to my lawyer, Burlingame

ressed th

d-dollar bills. Give me a rec

having his own way. He was almost insanely self-willed. It

the window again. For one instant the beautiful, pal

appen to him. He was too athletic to step carelessly, and yet he stumbled and gigg