tless day and night.

A few new faces were about the ranch, but the old friends bade me a
welcome and assured me that my fears were groundless. During the brief
time at my disposal, Miss Jean entertained me with numerous disclosures
regarding my old sweetheart. The one that both pleased and interested me
was that she was contented and happy, and that her resignation was due
to religious faith. According to my hostess's story, a camp meeting had
been held at Shepherd's during the fall after my banishment, by a sect
calling themselves Predestinarians. I have since learned that a belief
in a predetermined state is entertained by a great many good people, and
I admit it seems as if fate had ordained that Esther McLeod and I
should never wed. But it was a great satisfaction to know that she felt
resigned and could draw solace from a spiritual source, even though the
same was denied to me. During the last meeting between Esther and Miss
Jean, but a few weeks before, the former had confessed that there was
now no hope of our ever marrying.

As I had not seen my parents for several years, I continued my journey
to my old home on the San Antonio River. Leaving Las Palomas after
nightfall, I passed the McLeod ranch after midnight. Halting my horse to
rest, I reviewed the past, and the best reasoning at my command showed
nothing encouraging on the horizon. That Esther had sought consolation
from a spiritual source did not discourage me; for, under my
observation, where it had been put to the test, the love of man and wife
overrode it. But to expect this contented girl to renounce her faith and
become my wife, was expecting her to share with me nothing, unless it
was the chance of a felon's cell, and I remounted my horse and rode
away under a starry sky, somewhat of a fatalist myself. But I derived
contentment from my decision, and on reaching home no one could have
told that I had loved and lost. My parents were delighted to see me
after my extended absence, my sisters were growing fast into womanhood,
and I was bidden the welcome of a prodigal son. During this visit a new
avenue in life opened before me, and through the influence of my eldest
brother I secured a situation with a drover and followed the cattle
trail until the occupation became a lost one. My last visit to Las
Palomas was during the winter of 1894-95. It lacked but a few months of
twenty years since my advent in the Nueces valley. After the death of
Oxenford by sm