McWilliams moved to
a nearer chair. "I'm right sorry it happened, ma'am, and I'll bet Miss
Messiter is, too. Y'u see, we been awful busy one way and 'nother, and I
plumb neglected to send one of the boys to the post-office."

"Why didn't one of them walk over after supper?" she demanded, severely.

He curbed the smile that was twitching at his facial muscles.

"Well, o' course it ain't so far,--only forty-three miles--still--"

"Forty-three miles to the post-office?"

"Yes, ma'am, only forty-three. If you'll excuse me this time--"

"Is it really forty-three?"

He saw that her sudden smile had brought out the dimples in the oval
face and that her petulance had been swept away by his astounding
information.

"Forty-three, sure as shootin', except twict a week when it comes to
Slauson's, and that's only twenty miles," he assured her. "Used to be
seventy-two, but the Government got busy with its rural free delivery,
and now we get it right at our doors."

"You must have big doors," she laughed.

"All out o' doors," he punned. "Y'u see, our house is under our hat, and
like as not that's twenty miles from the ranchhouse when night falls."

"Dear me!" She swept his graceful figure sarcastically. "And, of course,
twenty miles from a brush, too."

He laughed with deep delight at her thrust, for the warm youth in him
did not ask for pointed wit on the part of a young woman so attractive
and with a manner so delightfully provoking.

"I expaict I have gathered up some scenery on the journey. I'll go brush
it off and get ready for supper. I'd admire to sit beside y'u and pass
the butter and the hash if y'u don't object. Y'u see, I don't often meet
up with ladies, and I'd ought to improve my table manners when I get
a chanct with one so much older than I am and o' course so much more
experienced."

"I see you don't intend to pass any honey with the hash," she flashed,
with a glimpse of the pearls.

"DIDN'T y'u say y'u was older than me? I believe I've plumb forgot how
old y'u said y'u was, Miss Darling."

"Your memory's such a sieve it wouldn't be worth while telling you.
After you've been to school a while longer maybe I'll try you again."

"Some ladies like 'em young," he suggested, amiably.

"But full grown," she amended.

"Do y'u judge by my looks or my ways?" he inquired, anxiously.

"By both."

"That's right strange," he mused aloud. "For judging by some of your
ways you're the spinster Miss Messiter