Then，withhisoldboyishenthusiasm，hesketchedaglowingpictureoftheirfuture:howtheywouldkeeptheDorntonpropertyintactuntilthecaptainwasfoundandcommunicatedwith；andhowtheywouldcautiouslycollectalltheinformationaccessibletofindhimuntilsuchtimeasRandolph’sfortuneswouldenablethembothtogoonavoyageofdiscoveryafterhim。Andinthemidstofthispropheticforecast，whichbroughtthemsocloselytogetherthatshewasenabledtoexaminehiswatchchain，shesaid，——
“IseeyouhavekeptCousinJack’sring。Didheeverseeit？“
“Hetoldmehehadgivenittoyouashislittlesweetheart，andthathe“——
Therewasasingularpausehere。
“HeneverdidTHAT——atleast，notinthatway！“saidSybilEversleigh。
And，strangelyenough，theoptimisticRandolph’spropheciescametrue。HewasmarriedamonthlatertoSibylEversleigh，Mr。
Dingwallgivingawaythebride。Heandhiswifewereabletokeeptheirtrustinregardtotheproperty，for，withoutinvestingadollarofitinthebank，themerereputationofhiswife’swealthbroughthimafloodofotherinvestorsandaconfidencewhichatoncesecuredhissuccess。Intwoyearshewasabletotakehiswifeonasixmonths’holidaytoEuropeviaAustralia，butofthedetailsofthatholidaynooneknew。Itis，however，onrecordthattenortwelveyearsagoDorntonHall，whichhadbeenleasedorunoccupiedforalongtime，wasrefittedfortheheiress，herhusband，andtheirchildrenduringabriefoccupancy，andthatinthatperiodextensiverepairsweremadetotheinterioroftheoldNormanchurch，andmuchattentiongiventotheredecorationandrestorationofitsancienttombs。
MR。MACGLOWRIE’SWIDOW
Verylittlewasknownofherlatehusband，yetthatlittlewasofasufficientlyawe-inspiringcharactertosatisfythecuriosityofLaurelSpring。Amanofunswervinganimosityandcandidbelligerency，untemperedbyanyhumanweakness，hehadbeenactivelyengagedassurvivorintwoorthreebloodfeudsinKentucky，andsomedesultorydueling，onlytosuccumb，throughtheironyoffate，toanattackoffeverandagueinSanFrancisco。
Giftedwithafinesenseofhumor，heissaid，inhislastmoments，tohavecalledthesimple-mindedclergymantohisbedsidetoassisthiminputtingonhisboots。Thekindlydivine，althoughpointingouttohimthathewastooweaktorise，muchlesswalk，couldnotresisttherequestofadyingman。Whenitwasfulfilled，Mr。
MacGlowriecrawledbackintobedwiththeremarkthathisracehadalways“diedwiththeirbootson，“andsopassedsmilinglyandtranquillyaway。
ItisprobablethatthisstorywasinventedtosoftentheignominyofMacGlowrie’speacefulend。Thewidowherselfwasalsoreportedtobeendowedwithrelationsofequallyhomicidaleccentricities。
Hertwobrothers，StephenandHectorBoompointer，hadWesternreputationsthatwerequiteasluridandremote。Herownexperiencesofafrontierlifehadbeenrudeandstartling，andherscalp——asingularlybeautifuloneofblondhair——hadbeeninperilfromIndiansonseveraloccasions。Apairofscissors，withwhichshehadoncepinnedtheintrudinghandofamaraudertohercabindoorpost，wastobeseeninhersittingroomatLaurelSpring。A
fair-facedwomanwitheyesthecolorofpalesherry，acomplexionsallowedbyinnutritiousfood，slightandtallfigure，shegavelittlesuggestionofthisAmazonianfeat。Butthatitexercisedawholesomerestraintoverthemanywhowouldliketohaveinducedhertoreenterthemarriedstate，thereislittlereasontodoubt。
LaurelSpringwasapeacefulagriculturalsettlement。FewofitscitizensdaredtoaspiretothedangerouseminenceofsucceedingthedefunctMacGlowrie；fewcouldhopethatthesisteroflivingBoompointerswouldacceptanobviousmesalliancewiththem。
Howeversinceretheiraffection，lifewasstillsweettotherudeinhabitantsofLaurelSpring，andthepreservationoftheusualquantityoflimbsnecessarytothemintheiravocations。Withtheirdevotionthuschastenedbycaution，itwouldseemasifthecharmingmistressofLaurelSpringHousewassecurefromdisturbingattentions。
Itwasapleasantsummerafternoon，andthesunwasbeginningtostrikeunderthelaurelsaroundthehotelintothelittleofficewherethewidowsatwiththehousekeeper——astoutspinsterofacoarserWesterntype。Mrs。MacGlowriewaslookingwearilyoversomeaccountsonthedeskbeforeher，andabsentlyputtingbacksometumbledsheavesfromthestackofherheavyhair。ForthewidowhadacertainindolentSouthernnegligence，whichinalessprettywomanwouldhavebeenuntidiness，andacharacteristichookandeyelessfreedomofattirewhichonlessgracefullimbswouldhavebeenslovenly。Onesleevecuffwasunbuttoned，butitshowedtheblueveinsofherdelicatewrist；theneckofherdresshadlostahook，buttheglimpseofabitofedgingroundthewhitethroatmadeamends。Ofallwhich，however，itshouldbesaidthatthewidow，inherlimpabstraction，wasreallyunconscious。
“IreckonwekinputthenewpreacherinKernelStarbottle’sroom，“
saidMissMorvin，thehousekeeper。“Thekernel’sgoingto-night。“
“Oh，“saidthewidowinatoneofrelief，butwhetherattheearlydepartureofthegallantcoloneloratthesuccessfulsolutionoftheproblemoflodgingthepreacher，MissMorvincouldnotdetermine。Butshewentontentatively:——
“Thekernelwastalkin’inthebarroom，andkindo’wonderin’whyyouhadn’tgotmarriedagin。Saidyou’dmakeastirinSacramento——
butyouwasjestberriedHERE。“
“Isupposehe’sheardofmyhusband？“saidthewidowindifferently。
“Yes——buthesaidhecouldn’tPLACEYOU，“returnedMissMorvin。
Thewidowlookedup。“Couldn’tplaceME？“sherepeated。
“Yes——hadn’theardo’MacGlowrie’swifeanddisrememberedyourbrothers。“
“Thecoloneldoesn’tknoweverybody，evenifheisafightingman，“
saidMrs。MacGlowriewithlanguidscorn。
“That’sjustwhatDickBlairsaid，“returnedMissMorvin。“Andthoughhe’sonlyadoctor，hejeststuckupagin’thekernel，andtoldthatstoryaboutyourjabbin’thatmanwithyourscissors——
beautiful；andhowyouoncefoughtoffabearwithared-hotiron，sothatyou’dhaveadmiredtohearhim。He’sawfullygoneonyou！“
Thewidowtookthatopportunitytobuttonhercuff。
“Andhowlongdoesthepreachercalculatetostay？“sheadded，returningtobusinessdetails。
“Onlyaday。They’llhavehishousefixedupandreadyforhimto-morrow。They’respendin’aheapo’moneyonit。Heoughttobethepow’fulpreachertheysayheis——tobeworthit。“
ButhereMrs。MacGlowrie’sinterestintheconversationceased，anditdropped。
InheranxietytofurtherthesuitofDickBlair，MissMorvinhadscarcelyreportedthecolonelwithfairness。
Thatgentleman，leaningagainstthebarinthehotelsaloonwithacocktailinhishand，hadexpatiatedwithhisusualgallantryuponMrs。MacGlowrie’scharms，andonhisown“personal“responsibilityhadexpressedtheopinionthattheywerethrownawayonLaurelSpring。That——blankitall——sheremindedhimoftheblankestbeautifulwomanhehadseeneveninWashington——oldMajorBeveridge’sdaughterfromKentucky。Weretheysureshewasn’tfromKentucky？Wasn’thernameBeveridge——andnotBoompointer？
Becomingmorereminiscentoverhisseconddrink，thecolonelcouldvaguelyrecallonlyoneBoompointer——ablankskulkinghound，sir——ameanwhiteshyster——but，ofcourse，hecouldn’thavebeenofthesamebreedassuchablankfinewomanasthewidow！ItwasherethatDickBlairinterruptedwithaheightenedcolorandaglowingeulogyofthewidow’srelationsandherself，which，however，onlyincreasedthechivalryofthecolonel——whowouldbethelastman，sir，todetractfrom——orsufferanydetractionof——alady’sreputation。Itwasneedlesstosaythatallthiswasintenselydivertingtothebystanders，andproportionallydiscomposingtoBlair，whoalreadyexperiencedsomeslightjealousyofthecolonelasamanwhosefightingreputationmightpossiblyattracttheaffectionsofthewidowofthebelligerentMacGlowrie。Hehadcursedhisfollyandrelapsedintogloomysilenceuntilthecolonelleft。
ForDickBlairlovedthewidowwiththeunselfishnessofagenerousnatureandafirstpassion。HehadadmiredherfromthefirstdayhislotwascastinLaurelSpring，wherecomingfromarudefrontierpracticehehadsucceededthedistrictdoctorinamorepeacefulanddomesticministration。Askillfulandgentlesurgeonratherthanageneralhouseholdpractitioner，hewasatfirstcoldlywelcomedbythegloomydyspepticsandague-hauntedsettlersfromriparianlowlands。Thefewbucolicidlerswhohadrelievedthemonotonyoftheirlivesbythestimulusofpatentmedicinesandtheexaltationofstomachbitters，alsolookedaskanceathim。A
common-sensewayofdealingwiththeirailmentsdidnotnaturallycommenditselftotheshopkeeperswhovendedthesenostrums，andhewasmadetofeeltheoppositionoftrade。Buthewasgentletowomenandchildrenandanimals，and，oddlyenough，itwastothislatterdilectionthatheowedthewidow’sinterestinhim——aninterestthateventuallymadehimpopularelsewhere。
Thewidowhadapetdog——abeautifulspaniel，who，however，hadassimilatedhergracefullanguortohisownnativeloveofeasetosuchanextentthathefailedinashortleapbetweenabalconyandawindow，andfelltothegroundwithafracturedthigh。Thedogwassupposedtobecrippledforlifeevenifthatlifewereworthpreserving——whenDr。Blaircametotherescue，setthefracturedlimb，putitinsplintsandplasterafteraningeniousdesignofhisown，visitedhimdaily，andeventuallyrestoredhimtohismistress’slapsoundinwindandlimb。Howfarthisdailyministrationandthenecessaryexchangeofsympathybetweenthewidowandhimselfheightenedhiszealwasnotknown。Therewerethosewhobelievedthatthewholethingwasanunmanlytricktogetthebetterofhisrivalsinthewidow’sgoodgraces；therewereotherswhoaverredthathistreatmentofabrutebeastlikeahumanbeingwassinfulandunchristian。“Hecouldn’thavedonemoreforaregularlybaptizedchild，“saidthepostmistress。“Andwhatmo’
wouldaregularlybaptizedchildhavewanted？“returnedMrs。
MacGlowrie，withthedrawlingSouthernintonationshefellbackuponwhenmostcontemptuous。