chair. We're
kind of sweethearts. Ain't we, kid?" Again Bessie Belle tossed her head
high. "That's 'yes,' with the reverse English," the speaker explained.
"Now you just rest yourself, ma'am, and order your breakfast. What 'll
it be--quail, dove, or cottontail?"

"Why--whatever you can get."

"That ain't the kind of restaurant we run. Bessie Belle would sure be
offended if she understood you. Ever see anybody call a quail?"

"Can it really be done?"

Law's face brightened. "You wait." He led his mare down the arroyo,
then returned, and, taking his Winchester from its scabbard, explained:
"There's a pair of 'top-knots' on that side-hill waitin' for a drink.
Watch 'em run into my lap when I give the distress signal of our secret
order." He skirted the water-hole, and seated himself with his heels
together and his elbows propped upon his spread knees in the military
position for close shooting. From where he sat he commanded an
unobstructed view of the thicket's edge. Next he moistened his lips and
uttered an indescribable low whistle. At intervals he repeated the
call, while the woman looked on with interest. Suddenly out of the
grass burst a blue quail, running with wings outstretched and every
feather ruffled angrily. It paused, the man's cheeks snuggled against
the stock of his gun, and the bark of the thirty-thirty sounded loudly.
Mrs. Austin saw that he had shot the little bird's head off. She spoke,
but he stilled her with a gesture, threw in a second shell, and
repeated his magic call. There was a longer wait this time, but finally
the performance was repeated. The marksman rose, picked up the two
birds, and came back to the camping-place.

"Kind of a low-down trick when they've just started housekeeping, ain't
it?" he smiled.

Mrs. Austin saw that both crested heads had been cleanly severed. "That
is quite wonderful" she said. "You must be an unusually good shot."

"Yes'm. You can fool turkeys the same way. Turkeys are easy."

"What do you say to them? What brings them out, all ruffled up?" she
asked, curiously.

Law had one of the birds picked by this time. "I tell 'em a snake has
got me. I reckon each one thinks the other is in trouble and comes to
the rescue. Anyhow, it's a mighty mean trick."

He would not permit her to help with the breakfast, so she lay back
enjoying the luxury of her hard bed and watching her host, whose
personality, now that she saw him by daylight, had begun to challenge
her