o Jerry than the Lenwell girls, who would
persist in pleading their little high-school Senior brother's cause; or
even the associate teachers, who were troubled and tired and overworked
like herself.

Jerry had met Thelma often, and thought of her oftener, in the three
years since they had come upon the Sage Brush branch of the local
freight together one hot, sand-blown June day, three summers before. She
had woven a romance about Thelma. Romances seemed now to belong to other
people. They never came to her. She was glad, however, when Thelma's
shopping was done and she went back to the farm down the Sage Brush, and
her brother Paul, and the growing, joyous Belkap child who filled the
plain farm-house with interest.

Stellar Bahrr, in Jerry's presence, had spoken ill of no one since the
memorable call three years ago. On the evening after Thelma left town
she cork-screwed over to "Castle Cluny" for a friendly chat with Laura.

"I run in to see Thelmy Ekblad. She 'ain't gone home, is she? Got her
shopping all done a'ready? Some girls can buy their weddin' finery
quicker 'n scat. Did she say who was to make that new white dress she
was buyin' yesterday at the Palace Emporium?" This straight at Jerry,
who was resting lazily in the porch swing after an unusually annoying
day.

"Not to me," Jerry replied, sliding another pillow behind her shoulders
and leaning back comfortably.

"Well, well! I s'posed girls always told them things to each other.
'Specially if they slep' together. She's gettin' a mighty fine man,
though--Thelmy is--at least, folks says she's gettin' him. He's there a
lot, 'specially 'long this spring. His farm's right near her and Paul's.
And she's one prince of a girl. Don't you say so, Miss Swaim?"

Jerry smiled in spite of herself, saying: "Yes, she's a prince of a
girl. I like her." And then, because she was tired that night, both of
Stellar and her topic, and the whole Sage Brush Valley, she turned away
that neither Laura nor Stellar might see how much she wanted to cry.

But turning was futile. Mrs. Bahrr's eyes went right through the girl
and she knew her shaft had hit home.

Joe had not been to town for weeks. It didn't matter to Jerry. Yet the
next day after Stellar's call lacked something--and the next and the
next. Not a definite lack, for Jerry's future was settled forever.

Down on the Sage Brush ranches Joe Thomson was trying to believe that
things wouldn't matter, too, if they failed