841
WEST SHORE.
Ray carried out his plans. There was no one to
" say him nay," and he had become infatuated with
the west, lie found himself the possessor of $10,000,
besides the home place, which he did not care to sell.
He bought the Murdock place and invested the rest of
his money in cattle. Frank Edmonds was caring for
a band of his own, and the two young men were con
stantly together, as Ray had arranged to board with
his friends.
Pretty Nell Edmonds was the belle for many miles
around, and received marked attention from all the
prosperous young ranchmen, but she showed no favor
to anyone until Ray Kingsley came, when it was ob
served she really enjoyed his society, and everybody
predicted a speedy marriage and a happy couple. Ray
was a general favorite, as he quickly "fell in" with
all customs and was at homo anywhere. Indeed, as
Frank said, " Ray was made for a westerner."
Such being the case, it was not strange that he
easily formed the habit of drinking when asked. He
had never drank at home, but his circle was temper
ance in sentiment and ho had simply had no tempta
tion to drink ; but where it was the custom to treat
and bo treated in every saloon one came to, it was
easier to drink than to refuse, especially as he had no
scruples against drink.
To his surpriso and pleasure he found that he
could take a good deal without showing any visible ef
fect. With poor Frank it was different. A very little
liquor overcame him and he would become silly and
daring, then stupid. It became quite the thing for
Ray to lead Frank homo from many a gathering.
Social lifo was necessarily restricted in such sparse
ly settled districts, but the young people rode out a
great deal, and Nell was the best lady rider in that
part of tho country.
Ono lovely Juno day Ray asked Nell to ride, and
they took tho road to tho Murdock ranch, which Ray
had named " Willow Glen," on account of a beautiful
glen with rippling water that ran through the place.
" No house, yet," commented Ray, "but who needs
ono without a mistress for it ? "
" Let me show you the best building spot," said
Nell, anxious to ward off a threatened proposal.
" All right," I shall be glad of your opinion," said
Ray, and Nell knew she had not changed tho aspect
of affairs very much.
They rode to tho spot Nell indicated, and viewed
it from every point, talking over plans with great in
terest, ho trying to think of tho best way of telling
her his love, and she using her utmost skill to prevent
it. But Ray felt the timo had come to speak, and he
finally gavo up all effort to be diplomatic, and said
" But, after all, Nell, it will make no difference to
me what sort of a house it is or where it stands, if
you are not in it as my wife I Nell, you know it is
my one thought by day and dream by night to call
you mine I You know I love you, dear I Do you
can you love me well enough to marry me?"
Nell's merry face paled and she said, faintly
" Oh, Ray, I ought not to have come to-day I I
did not want you to ask me to be your wife I I can
not marry you."
Ray was confounded. He had not hesitated about
declaring his love because he never doubted Nell's, for
he felt sure she loved him. What could it mean I
" What is it, Nell ? " he managed to articulate.
" Why can't you marry me? You do love me 1 "
He made this assertion with his pleading eyes full
upon her agitated face.
" Oh, Ray, how can you ! " she cried, a great wave
of rose color stealing over her face. " Well, yes, Ray,
J can't deny it ; I do love you ! But" motioning
him away, "I can't marry you because because I'
will not marry any man who drinks ! "
Ray looked his astonishment. " Why, Nell, every,
body drinks here your father, Frank"
"I know,"" she interrupted, " but my husband must
not." She controlled her voice and went on
" A man may be able to take considerable and
show it very little, but if he drinks, he leads others to
drink ; he has the society of drinking men, and he is,
in a sense, a slave to drink. Now, my husband must
be free ; he must not be guilty of leading others wrong,
and he must prefer my society to that of the men
hanging around saloons. True, my brother Frank
drank before you came west, but he is not so strong as
you and he he drinks more since you came. If
you had been different, you might have led him."
Nell spoke eugerly hastily. She made Ray feel,
as he had never done before, that he was responsible
for his influence.
" I had not thought," he began, " that I was re
sponsible for any one but myself; but I see try me,
Nell. Promise to be mine and I will give up drink,
and try to get Frank to do so."
Nell shook her head.
" I can't do that, either," she said. " The man I
marry must be his best self-not to please me, but be
cause his Maker requires it, and because he owes it to
himself and to his country."
Ray stared in open astonishment at Nell's senti
ments. She went on
" The man I marry may not be the best man in
the world, nor the best man I know, but he will be the
man I love, and he will be his best self."
Ray attempted to interrupt, but Nell hurried on-
" How could I promise to be yours unless I have
the assurance you will be all I expect? Your word
m not be enough, for with the best intentions people