ed there, as became an
actress--Belle regarded him fixedly. "My Gawd!" she whispered, owning
defeat before that invulnerable selfishness of Duke's.

Her tone stung even his young crocodile-hided sensibility. "You're
always blamin' me. You'n Tom think I do everything mean on this ranch!
You think Lance is an angel! He's your pet and you let him pick on me
an' you never say a word. Lance can do any darn thing he pleases, an'
so can Al. I'm goin' to run away, first thing you know. You can have
your sweet little angel pet of a doggone ole cowardly-calf Lance!"
Then he whined, "Aw--you lemme go! I never done it, I tell yuh! It was
Lance!"

Belle gritted her teeth while she shook him. "You yellow-hearted
little whelp. I _saw you_ chasing that colt around the corral till he
broke the fence! If Tom was to know about it he'd lick you good! Duke,
why _can't_ you be a man and take the blame yourself, just once? I'd
be--I'd be so proud o' you if you only told the truth about things.
Don't you know--it's only a coward that will lie to save his own
skin?"

"Lance is a bigger coward than I am, an' you never say a word to him.
You think Lance is perfect."

"I guess you're hopeless all right," Belle retorted. "It's just a
yellow streak in you somewhere. Living with the Lorrigans, I'm hoping
you'll outgrow it. The Lorrigans sure ain't yellow!"

"I chased Blackie some, Belle," Lance volunteered, peering down over
the stable eave at his irate mother. "Duke started in and got him
going good, and when he come fogging over to this side I flopped my
arms at him. Gee, but he did stop quick! I guess if you're going to
lick Duke, you better give me about four good licks for that, Belle.
And take 'em off Duke's licking. No use licking us both for the same
thing."

Belle tilted her yellow head and looked up at her beloved youngest,
grinning down at her cheerfully from the hay roof where he sprawled
head downward, flat on his stomach.

"Well, thank the Lord one Lorrigan has got the nerve to own up to a
thing. Come on down and get your four licks, then. I can be as square
as the next one. But Duke's got it coming to him for lying to me. Tell
me, Lance, did Duke chase Blackie through the fence?"

"Aw go on, Belle! What's matter with you, asking me what Duke done?
He's the feller to ask about that. I chased Blackie about four licks'
worth. Hurry up and let's get it over with. You know it ain't pleasant
for either of us!"

"Smarty!" yelled