e
famous Obar Ranch.

At the arrival of the mail he flung his paper aside. Then he picked up
each letter in turn, examined the address, and set aside, in a separate
pile, those addressed to his wife. Of his own there were only four,
and, of these, only the one addressed in Bud's cumbersome handwriting
interested him seriously.

Before opening it he pierced and lit a cigar. He felt that from its
bulk the letter must contain important reports from the ranch, and,
coming at such a time, would need the steadying influence of a cigar to
enable him to give them the consideration necessary.

He lounged back in the big chair and leisurely tore open the envelope.

* * * * * *

The door communicating with the principal bedroom opened noiselessly.
Elvine entered the sitting-room, accompanied by that delightful rustle
of silk which is quite irresistible to male ears. At all times a
beautiful woman, just now she was incomparable.

A joy of life lit every feature, endowing her with an animation of
expression unrecognizable in her a few short weeks ago. There was a
melting lustre in her dark eyes, a gentleness in the smiling corners of
her irresistible mouth. Her cheeks, even, seemed to have gained an
added softness of contour. While the masses of dark hair revealed
beneath her hat shone with the burnish of the raven's wing.

Her husband had turned on the instant. His cigar was flung aside. A
moment later he was on his feet, and his arms, full of vital impulse,
came near to destroying the perfection of her toilet.

The woman made no protest under the embrace. It told her so many
things she wanted to know. It told her of the love she now so frankly
desired. It told her, too, that the efforts on her toilet had not been
ill-spent.

Presently Jeff stood back, holding her at arm's length, while his
hungry eyes devoured every feature of the face that had taught him so
much of the real meaning of life.

"Splendid--just splendid!" he exclaimed.

"My--gown?"

The smile was enticing. The man laughed out of the buoyancy of his
heart.

"No--you!" he cried, leaning forward for the embrace she had invited.

A moment later he stood back again, and Elvine's eyes fell upon the
mail lying upon the table.

"Some for me?" she inquired, moving toward it.

Jeff nodded. Then his smile died out. His gaze had fallen upon his
own open letter. It was lying upon the table near the pile set aside