fact that had turned Bud's attention to the West and its
opportunities.

When she returned to the porch Juliet had on a plain white dress with pink
ribbons at elbows, neck, and waist. Larkin, who had always thrilled at her
splendid physical vigor, found himself more than ever under the spell of
her luxuriant vitality.

Her great dark eyes were remarkably lustrous and expressive, her black
hair waved back from her brown face into a great braided coil, her
features were not pretty so much as noble. Her figure, with its limber
curves, was pliant and graceful in any position or emergency--the result
of years in the saddle. Her feet and hands were small, the latter being
firm but infinitely gentle in their touch.

"Well, have you forgotten all your Eastern education?" Larkin asked,
smiling, as she sat down. "Have you reverted to your original untamed
condition?"

"No, indeed, Bud. I have a reputation to keep up in that respect. The fact
that I have had an Eastern education has made our punchers so proud that
they can't be lived with when they go to town, and lord it over
everybody."

"I suppose they all want to marry you?"

"Yes, singly or in lots, and sometimes I'm sorry it can't be done, I love
them all so much. But tell me, Bud, what brings you out West in general
and here in particular?"

"Probably you don't know that a year and a half ago my father died," and
Larkin's face shadowed for a moment with retrospection. "Well, he did, and
left me most of his estate. I was sick of it there, and I vowed I would
pull up stakes and start somewhere by myself. So I went up to Montana in
the vicinity of the Musselshell Forks and bought a ranch and some stock."

"Cattle?"

"No, sheep. The best merino I ever saw--"

"Bud Larkin! You're not a sheepman?"

"Yes, ma'am, and a menace to a large number of cowmen, your father among
them."

The girl sank back and allowed him to relate the story of his adventures
up to the present time, including the interview with Beef. At the
description of that she smiled grimly; and he, noting the fact, told
himself that it would take a masterly character to subdue that free, wild
pride.

"Now, Julie," he concluded, "do me the favor of instilling reason into
your father. I've done my best and we have parted without murder, but
that's all. I've got to have a friend at court or I will be ruined before
I commence."

The girl was silent for a few minutes and sat looking down at her
slippere