urdy self-reliance that awakened
instant admiration for her in his mind.

She was attired in picturesque costume, consisting of short riding
skirt, boots, felt hat, woolen blouse with a flowing tie at the throat,
gloves, and spurs. It was not the sort of thing to which the young man
was accustomed, but she made an attractive picture and he took in every
detail of her appearance with eager eyes.

It was some time before he noticed the man. The latter stood facing the
girl and he could not get a view of his face. He had a gigantic frame,
with huge shoulders that loomed above the girl, dwarfing her. The young
man remained motionless, watching the two, for there was something in
the big man's attitude that held him. The man turned presently and the
young man had a glimpse of his face. It was heavy featured, coarse, and
an unmistakable brutality was betrayed in it. The young man's lips
curled. He did not like the type, and it was the girl's face that held
him now that he had seen the man's.

He leaned easily against the front of the building, not over fifteen
feet distant from the two, trying to appear uninterested, but not
concealing his interest. He believed the girl had not seen him, for
though she had looked in his direction he was sure that her glance had
passed him to rest on the pony at the hitching rail. Swift as the glance
had been the young man had seen in her face an expression that caused
him to decide to remain where he was until the girl mounted her pony, no
matter how long that time might be. So he relaxed, leaning against the
building--attentive, listening, though apparently entirely unconcerned
over their conversation.

The girl seemed moved with some deep emotion over something the big man
had said, for her slight figure had stiffened and she stood looking at
him with an angry, intense gaze. The big man had been taunting her, for
his teeth showed in a mocking grin as he hovered near her, apparently
sure of her. It was like a lion playing with a mouse. Then the young man
heard the big man's voice:

"So you don't take kindly to my courting? Don't want anything to do with
me at all?" His forced laugh had a harshness in it that caused the young
man's muscles to stiffen. He took a sly glance at the girl and saw her
chin uplift with disdain.

"Do you think it necessary for me to tell you that--again?" she said.

A strange satisfaction thrilled the young man; sympathy for her drew his
mouth into a peculiar