girl. His mind was still pleasantly
concerned with the stranger's warm praise of his culinary efforts.

"That new man now, Billie," he remarked. "He's away off ahead of the
average run. You mark me--he'll be top hand with this outfit in no
time at all." Then he observed the girl's expression. "What is it,
Pet?" he inquired. "What's a-fretting you?"

"Do you know who he is?" she asked.

Waddles wagged a negative head.

"He's Calvin Harris," she stated.

Instead of the blank dismay which she had expected to see depicted on
Waddles's face at this announcement, it seemed to her that the big man
was pleased.

"The hell!" he said. "'Scuse me, Billie. So this here is Cal! Well,
well--now what do you think of that?"

"I think that I don't want to stay here alone with him while you're out
after the horses," she returned.

"Wrong idea!" the big man promptly contradicted. "You've got to stick
it out for two years, girl. The best thing you can do is to get
acquainted; and figure out how to get along the best you can--the pair
of you."

"That's probably true," she assented indifferently. "I'll have to face
a number of things that are equally unpleasant in the next two
years--so I might as well start now. He must have praised the food in
order to win you to his side in two minutes flat."

Waddles's face expressed pained reproach.

"Now there it is again!" he said. "You know I'm only on one
side--yours. Old Cal Warren had some definite notion when he framed
this play; so it's likely this young Cal is on your side, too."

"But even more likely not," she stated.

"Then what?"

"Why, then I'll have to kill him and put a stop to it," the big man
announced. "But it's noways probable that it will come to that. Let's
use logic. He spoke well of my cooking--like you said--which proves
him a man of some discernment. No way to get around that. Now a man
with his judgment wouldn't suspect for one living second that he could
play it low-down on you with me roosting close at hand. Putting two
plain facts together it works out right natural and simple that he's on
the square. As easy as that," he finished triumphantly. "So don't you
fret. And in case he acts up I'll clamp down on him real sudden," he
added by way of further reassurance.

His great paw opened and shut to illustrate his point as he moved
toward the door and the Three Bar girl knew that when Waddles spoke of
clamping down it was no mere figu