rest mule; so that before she knew (she scarce had time to
utter an astonished little ejaculation as she yielded to his arms) there
she was, perched, breathless, upon the sweaty hide. I awaited results.

Jenks chuckled.

"What you need is an old feller, lady. These young bucks ain't broke to
the feed canvas. Now when you want to get off you call me. You don't weigh
more'n a peck of beans."

With a bantering wink at me he again fell back. Once more I had been
forestalled. There should be no third time.

My Lady sat clinging, at first angry-eyed, but in a moment softened by my
discomfiture.

"Your partner is rather sudden," she averred. "He asked permission of
neither me nor the mule."

"He meant well. He isn't used to women," I apologized.

"More used to mules, I judge."

"Yes. If he had asked the mule it would have objected, whereas it's
delighted."

"Perhaps he knows there's not much difference between a woman and a mule,
in that respect," she proffered. "You need not apologize for him."

"I apologize for myself," I blurted. "I see I'm a little slow for this
country."

"You?" She soberly surveyed me as I ploughed through the dust, at her
knees. "I think you'll catch up. If you don't object to my company,
yourself, occasionally, maybe I can help you."

"I certainly cannot object to your company whenever it is available,
madam," I assured.

"You do not hold your experience in Benton against me?"

"I got no more than I deserved, in the Big Tent," said I. "I went in as a
fool and I came out as a fool, but considerably wiser."

"You reproached me for it," she accused. "You hated me. Do you hate me
still, I wonder? I tell you I was not to blame for the loss of your
money."

"The money has mattered little, madam," I informed. "It was only a few
dollars, and it turned me to a job more to my liking and good health than
fiddling my time away, back there. I have you to thank for that."

"No, no! You are cruel, sir. You thank me for the good and you saddle me
with the bad. I accept neither. Both, as happened, were misplays. You
should not have lost money, you should not have changed vocation. You
should have won a little money and you should have pursued health in
Benton." She sighed. "And we all would have been reasonably content. Now
here you and I are--and what are we going to do about it?"

"We?" I echoed, annoyingly haphazard. "Why so? You're being well cared
for, I take it; and I'm under engagement for