tress of Sunset Ranch."

"But I notice that you take liberties with _my_ name," he said, quickly.

"That's different. You're a man. Men around here always shorten their
names, or have nicknames. If they call you by your full name that means
the boys don't like you. And I liked you from the start," said the Western
girl, quite frankly.

"Thank you!" he responded, his eyes twinkling. "I expect it must have been
my fine riding that attracted you."

"No. Nor it wasn't your city cowpuncher clothes," she retorted. "I know
those things weren't bought farther West than Chicago."

"A palpable hit!" admitted Dudley Stone.

"No. It was when you took that tumble into the tree; was hanging on by
your eyelashes, yet could joke about it," declared Helen, warmly.

She might have added, too, that now he had been washed and his hair
combed, he was an attractive-looking young man. She did not believe Dudley
Stone was of age. His brown hair curled tightly all over his head, and he
sported a tiny golden mustache. He had good color and was somewhat
bronzed.

Dud's blue eyes were frank, his lips were red and nicely curved; but his
square chin took away from the lower part of his face any suggestion of
effeminacy. His ears were generous, as was his nose. He had the clean-cut,
intelligent look of the better class of educated Atlantic seaboard youth.

There is a difference between them and the young Westerner. The latter are
apt to be hung loosely, and usually show the effect of range-riding--at
least, back here in Montana. Whereas Dud Stone was compactly built.

They chatted quite frankly while the patient ate his supper. Dud found
that, although Helen used many Western idioms, and spoke with an
abruptness that showed her bringing up among plain-spoken ranch people,
she could, if she so desired, use "school English" with good taste, and
gave other evidences in her conversation of being quite conversant with
the world of which he was himself a part when he was at home.

"Oh, you would get along all right in New York," he said, laughing, when
she suggested a doubt as to the impression she might make upon her
relatives in the big town. "You'd not be half the 'tenderfoot' there that
I am here."

"No? Then I reckon I can risk shocking them," laughed Helen, her gray eyes
dancing.

This talk she had with Dud Stone on the evening of his arrival confirmed
the young mistress of Sunset Ranch in her intention of going to the great
city.