me--Going to town, you know."

"Lord!" said the cowman. "So that's what you stuck on. 'Fraid of
running out of change with a lady along. Here's the balance of your
first month's wages, and more, if you want it."

He drew out a fat wallet and began counting out banknotes.

"Oh, no, not so many," said Ashton. "I wish only what you consider as
owing to me now."

"You'll take an even hundred," ordered Knowles, forcing the money on
him. "A man doesn't feel just right in town unless he's well heeled.
Only don't show more than a ten at a time in the saloon."

"You have chosen me to act as your daughter's escort," replied
Ashton.

Quick to catch the inference of his remark, Isobel flashed him a look
of approval, but called banteringly as she darted out to the
buckboard: "Better move, if you expect to get near enough to escort
me, this side of Stockchute."

Gowan sprang down to hand her into the buckboard. She took the reins
from him and spoke to the fidgetting broncos. They plunged forward and
started off on a lope. Ashton perceived that she did not intend to
wait for him. He caught Gowan's look of mingled exultance and envy,
and dashed for the corral. Rocket was outside, but at his call trotted
to meet him, whinnying for his morning's lump of sugar. Ashton flung
on saddle and bridle, and slipped inside the corral to rope his own
pony. Haste made him miss the two first throws. At last he noosed the
pony, and slapped on the girl's saddle and bridle.

As he raced off, pounding the pony with his rope to keep him alongside
Rocket, Knowles waved to him from the house. He had saddled up in less
than twice the time that Gowan could have done it,--which was a record
for a tenderfoot. He waved back, but his look was heavy despite the
excitement of the pursuit.

He expected to overtake Isobel in a few minutes. This he could have
done had he been able to give Rocket free rein. But he had to hold
back for the slower-gaited pony. Also, the girl had more of a start
than he had at first realized, and she did her best to hold the
handicap. Hitched to the light buckboard, her young broncos could have
run a good part of the way to Stockchute. She was far out on the flat
before she at last tired of the wild bumping over ruts and sagebrush
roots, and pulled her horses down to a walk.

"I could have kept ahead clear across to the hills," she flung back at
him as he galloped up.

"You shouldn't have been so reckless!" he reproached. "