Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch
all, for convenience, "Mexicans," are not all natives of Mexico, by any means. Most of them are a mixed breed derived from the early Spanish settlers and the nat
e same appellation. The early Spaniards left a strong impress upon this state, and even in the newly settled districts the Spanish
en the business street shows many adobe structures. A quiet, dreamy little town, with a comforta
a weather-beaten, unprepossessing building which bore the word "Restaurant"
long breath. "Is this one o
t we come for
. "But you informed us that there is a
ls. Now, this is-different. If you're hungry; if you wa
to obey their host's injunction. Then the dingy door opened and out stepped a young
in picturesque disarray. A blue flannel shirt, rolled up at the sleeves, a pair of drab corduroy trousers and rough shoes
belied his rude costume, for its tones were well modulated and cultured. "I've been t
essed to Louise, who shook
introduced her friends to Mr. Rudolph Hahn, who,
rs; so we've been getting quite chummy since they moved to El Cajon. Helen-that's my wife,
cried Patsy
lau
t I assure you I could vote, if I wanted to-which I don't. I think,
not the son of Andy
ut Dad is only a monarch in finance, and when h
k, eyeing the rough costume wonderingly but also
habitant. Weldon, here, has on
li
es, back east, but onl
om was clean and neat, despite the fact that the floor was strewn with sawdust and the tables covered with white oilcloth. An a
friends, Castro, are from the far East, and I've tol
o-day; she'd have been delighted with this meeting. But we didn't kno
rthur. "I believe I'll do the errand while Castro is preparing his
blessed baby in the house. It might save you
ine work?" a
ut yours. So I imagine something is wro
e," said Arthur, and departed for the teleph
he boy, but when he found the young bride's family still more furious and preparing to annul the marriage on the grounds of the groom's youth, the great financier's mood changed and he whisked the pair off to California and bought for them a half-million-dollar ranch, where they had lived f
r's place in the financial world. And he runs his ranch so extravagantly that it costs the pater a small fortune every year. Yet they are
ars of age, stern of feature and with shaggy brows that overhung a pair of peaceful blue eyes which ought to have been set in the face of some child. This gave him a whimsical look that almost invariably evoked a smile
north and is considered the most enterprising orange grower in all California
high-pitched tenor voice that the sound was posi
troduce Mr. Bulwer Runyon, formerly of New York but now t
ed the high,
he sourest and-and-
them," added the ma
id the major, noticing that the girls were for once r
handle to his name and call him 'Bul Run' for short. Soun
ning in a way that might well have terrified a pirate. "I'm not a bull and I don't run. It's e
e wish to talk of agreeable things. The marvelous Castro is concocting some o
e. "I had breakfast at seven, you know-like a working man-and the r
ease. Forget it, and try to
e baby, Mr
lied Louise. "Why haven't you
he last time I came I stayed three days and forgot
e not going to
t fervently, for I'd hate to
n, Bu
to the end of its fleet. Therefore, as I love the baby bette
ind your
sig
Weldon, I've made
n't you dread
es
th the mortgage?"
rapidly increasing in value," declared Runyon, earnestly, "so, if I can manage to ho
ice. Even the major clapped Bul Run on the shoulder and said t
ndly party was gathered around the oilcloth board. Even the paper napkins could not
anchers that the poor fellow was in despair. The "lunch" turned out to be a seven course dinner and each course introduced such an enticing and unusual dish that every member of the party became an audacious gormandizer. None of
s and napkins, and decent rugs up
Uncle John. "Don't suggest such a horror to Castro, Lo
Runyon to Beth, who sat beside him. "I d
ur orange crop ye
lly. And the laugh that followed again p
coffee and cigars and have a social chat. But both Runyon and Hahn protested this delay. They suggested, instead, that all ride back to E
hour later the procession started. Beth riding besi
the latter, "for she'd be mad as hops
plied Patsy. "Isn't
. She's the only woman I eve
rows,
n; and her angelic smile is so genuine and constant t
," continued Patsy enthusiastically; "bu
ph in a visit to the baby. She proved to be a retiring and rather shy young woman, but she was very beautiful and her personalit
ajon, traveling slowly that they might enjoy the exquisite tintings of the sky. Runyon, who was a bachelor, lived a few miles the other side of Arthur's ranch. All three ranches had at one time been part of the Spani