really am not fit to be seen."

His quaint way of putting it brought forth a general laugh.

"You need make no apology. We are all ranchers here. Even my daughters
and my niece ride, and sometimes accompany the foreman on drives from
one part of the ranch to another. As for my niece, though brought up in
the East, she is a born cattle woman. There is hardly a cowman on the
place who can ride better than she."

"Your man tells us that you are the best horseman in your outfit," said
Mr. McClure.

"I don't think I quite deserve that compliment, sir," answered Tad. "But
I am very fond of horses. I find, by kind treatment, one can do almost
anything with them."

"My idea exactly," nodded Mr. McClure approvingly. "The cowpuncher
doesn't look at it that way, however. He wouldn't feel at home on a
horse that didn't break the monotony by bucking now and then. Did you
ever ride a bucker?"

"Once. I expect to break one of the animals I understand we are to get
from you."

His host whistled softly.

"You have a large contract on hand, young man. The ponies I am turning
off are the worst specimens we ever had on the ranch. Some of them never
had a bridle on, for the very good reason that no one ever has been able
to get close enough to them to put bridles on. I hope you will not be
foolish enough to try to break any of that stock."

"Oh, we'll rope them and get a headstall on, anyway. The rest will come
along all right, I think," smiled Tad.

"Ah, my niece, Miss Brayton!" exclaimed the rancher, introducing a young
woman who had just entered the room.

"With the Miller outfit?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Tad.

"Who is your foreman?"

"Stallings--Bob Stallings."

Tad thought Miss Brayton one of the most beautiful women he had ever
seen. Yet there was something about her that affected him strangely.
Perhaps it was her abrupt manner of speaking. At any rate the lad
experienced a sense of uneasiness the moment she entered the room. He
did not stop to ask himself why. Tad merely knew that this was true.
Miss Brayton had little to say, but her quietness was more than atoned
for by the vivacity of Sadie and Margaret.

As Tad was taking his leave the entire family accompanied him out into
the yard.

"If your duties will permit we should like to have you and your
companions dine with us to-morrow evening," said Colonel McClure.

"Yes; by all means," added Mrs. McClure.

"Yes, Mr. Butler, we should love to have you,