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yesterday； and as the boys was out of smokin' he come home that way。〃
〃I suppose you'll all go？〃
〃I reckon。〃
〃And you'll ride？〃
〃I aim to sit in。〃
〃At the roping； too？〃
〃No； m'm。 I ain't so much with the rope。 It takes a Mexican to snake a
rope。〃
〃Then I'll be able to borrow only a thousand dollars from you to help
buy that bunch of young cows we were speaking about；〃 she mocked。
〃Only a thousand；〃 he grinned。 〃And it ain't a cinch I'll win。 There are
three or four straightup riders on this range。 A fellow come from the Hole…
in…the…Wall and won out last year。〃
〃And where were you？〃
〃Oh； I took second prize；〃 he explained； with obvious indifference。
〃Well； you had better get first this year。 We'll have to show them the
Lazy D hasn't gone to sleep。〃
〃Sure thing；〃 he agreed。
〃Has that buyer from Cheyenne turned up yet？〃 she asked； reverting to
business。
〃Not yet。 Do y'u want I should make the cut soon as he comes？〃
〃Don't you think his price is a little lowtwenty dollars from brand
up？〃
〃It's a scrub bunch。 We want to get rid of them； anyway。 But you're the
doctor；〃 he concluded slangily。
She thought a moment。 〃We'll let him have them； but don't make the
cut till I come back。 I'm going to ride over to the Twin Buttes。〃
His admiring eyes followed her as she went toward the pony that was
waiting saddled with the rein thrown to the ground。 She carried her slim；
lithe figure with a grace； a lightness； that few women could have rivaled。
When she had swung to the saddle； she half…turned in her seat to call an
order to the foreman。
〃I think； Mac； you had better run up those horses from Eagle Creek。
Have Denver and Missou look after them。〃
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〃Sure； ma'am；〃 he said aloud； and to himself： 〃She's ce'tainly a
thoroughbred。 Does everything well she tackles。 I never saw anything like
it。 I'm a Chink if she doesn't run this ranch like she had been at it forty
years。 Same thing with her gasoline bronc。 That pinto； too。 He's got a bad
eye for fair； but she makes him eat out of her hand。 I reckon the pinto is
like the rest of usclean mashed。〃 He put his arms on the corral fence and
grew introspective。 〃Blamed if I know what it is about her。 'Course she's a
winner on looks； but that ain't it alone。 I guess it's on account of her being
such a game little gentleman。 When she turns that smile loose on a fellow…
…well； there's sure sunshine in the air。 And gamewhy； Ned Bannister ain't
gamer himself。〃
McWilliams had climbed lazily to the top board of the fence。 He was
an energetic youth； but he liked to do his thinking at his ease。 Now； as his
gaze still followed its lodestar； he suddenly slipped from his seat and ran
forward； pulling the revolver from its scabbard as he ran。 Into his eyes had
crept a tense alertness； the shining watchfulness of the tiger ready for its
spring。
The cause of the change in the foreman of the Lazy D was a simple
one； and on its face innocent enough。 It was merely that a stranger had
swung in casually at the gate of the short stable lane； and was due to meet
Miss Messiter in about ten seconds。 So far good enough。 A dozen travelers
dropped in every day； but this particular one happened to be Ned
Bannister。
From the stable door a shot rang out。 Bannister ducked and shouted
genially： 〃Try again。〃
But Helen Messiter whirled her pony as on a half…dollar； and charged
down on the stable。
〃Who fired that shot？〃 she demanded； her eyes blazing。
The horse…wrangler showed embarrassment。 He had found time only
to lean the rifle against the wall。
〃I reckon I did； ma'am。 Y'u see〃
〃Did you get my orders about this feud？〃 she interrupted crisply。
〃Yes； ma'am； but〃
〃Then you may call for your time。 When I give my men orders I
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expect them to obey。〃
〃I wouldn't 'a' shot if I'd knowed y'u was so near him。 Y'u was behind
that summer kitchen；〃 he explained lamely。
〃You only expect to obey orders when I'm in sight。 Is that it？〃 she
asked hotly； and without waiting for an answer delivered her ultimatum。
〃Well； I won't have it。 I run this ranch as long as I am its owner。 Do you
understand？〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 I hadn't ought to have did it； but when I seen Bannister it
come over me I owed him a pill for the one he sent me last week down in
the coulee。 So I up and grabbed the rifle and let him have it。〃
〃Then you may up and grab your trunk for Medicine Hill。 Shorty will
drive you tomorrow。〃
When she returned to her unexpected guest； Helen found him in
conversation with McWilliams。 The latter's gun had found again its holster；
but his brown； graceful hand hovered close to its butt。
〃Seems like a long time since the Lazy D has been honored by a visit
from Mr。 Bannister；〃 he was saying； with gentle irony。
〃That's right。 So I have come to make up for lost time；〃 came
Bannister's quiet retort。
Miss Messiter did not know much about Wyoming human nature in
the raw； but she had learned enough to be sure that the soft courtesy of
these two youths covered a stark courage that might leap to life any
moment。 Wherefore she interposed。
〃We'll be pleased to show you over the place； Mr。 Bannister。 As it
happens； we are close to the hospital。 Shall we begin there？〃
Her cool； silken defiance earned a smile from the visitor。 〃All your
cases doing well； ma'am？〃
〃It's very kind of you to ask。 I suppose you take an interest because
they are YOUR cases； too； in a way of speaking？〃
〃Mine？ Indeed！〃
〃Yes。 If it were not for you I'm afraid our hospital would be empty。〃
〃It must be right pleasant to be nursed by Miss Messiter。 I reckon the
boys are grateful to me for scattering my lead so promiscuous。〃
〃I heard one say he would like to lam your haid tenderly；〃 murmured
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McWilliams。
〃With a two…by…four； I suppose；〃 laughed Bannister。
〃Shouldn't wonder。 But； looking y'u over casual； it occurs to me he
might get sick of his job befo' he turned y'u loose；〃 McWilliams admitted；
with a glance of admiration at the clean power showing in the other's
supple lines。
Nor could either the foreman or his mistress deny the tribute of their
respect to the bravado of this scamp who sat so jauntily his seat regardless
of what the next moment might bring forth。 Three wounded men were
about the place； all presumably quite willing to get a clean shot at him in
the open。 One of them had taken his chance already； and missed。 Their
visitor had no warrant for knowing that a second might not any instant try
his luck with better success。 Yet he looked every inch the man on
horseback； no whit disturbed； not the least conscious of any danger。 Tall；
spare； broad shouldered； this berry…brown young man； crowned with
close…cropped curls； sat at the gates of the enemy very much at his insolent
case。
〃I came over to pay my party call；〃 he explained。
〃It really wasn't necessary。 A run in the machine is not a formal
function。〃
〃Maybe not in Kalamazoo。〃
〃I thought perhaps you had come to get my purse and the sixty…three
dollars；〃 she derided。
〃No； ma'am； nor yet to get that bunch of cows I was going to rustle
from you to buy an auto。 I came to ask you to go riding with me。〃
The audacity of it took her breath。 Of all the outrageous things she had
ever heard； this was the cream。 An acknowledged outlaw； engaged in feud
with her retainers over that deadly question of the run of the range； he had
sauntered over to the ranch where lived a dozen of his enemies； three of
them still scarred with his bullets； merely to ask her to go riding with him。
The magnificence of his bravado almost obliterated its impudence。 Of
course she would not think of going。 The idea！ But her eyes glowed with
appreciation of his courage； not t