"The next thing to it—I was quartered there."
"Then you are a guardsman? I always wondered whether all guardsmen were like Guy Livingstone. Now I know."
"Well, you see in me a deceased guardsman. I left the service a few months ago."
"Do tell me what brings you out to America. An heiress? Of course, you have been very wicked. Are you going to 'ranger' yourself?"
"Neither reformation nor matrimony is in my mind, I am afraid," laughed Ballinger. "Only self-interest and curiosity. I have one or two friends—one, a brother-officer—settled on a ranch in Colorado. I am going to look about and see if I can find a good investment for a little money."
"I think it will be so refreshing to see ranch-life, after the conventionalities of civilization," said Grace.
"You will find a week of it will go a long way," and Mrs. Courtly shook her head. To her, existence without its intellectual refinements and pictorial luxuries—all the delicate and varied entrées she provided for herself in the pleasant feast which she called "life"—without these, existence would hardly be worth having.
"I would rather live on a ranch than work in Wall Street all my days," said Barham.
"Wall Street has solid compensations," observed Ferrars.
"I think money can be too dearly bought," returned the younger man, quickly. "At the sacrifice of all independence, I would not be rich, if I could."