m curiously, and felt that he must say something.

"That's simple enough," he answered briefly. "I've got a job on this
ranch."

She looked slightly puzzled. "Really? But I thought--I had no idea you
knew--Mary."

"I didn't. I needed a job and drifted in here thinking I'd find a friend
of mine who used to work on the same outfit in Texas. He was gone, but
Miss Thorne took me on."

"You mean you're a regular cow-boy?" the girl asked in surprise. "Why, you
never told me that aboard ship?"

A sudden chill swept over Stratton, and for a moment he was stricken
speechless. Aboard ship! Was it possible that this girl had been part of
that uncanny, vanished year, the very thought of which troubled and
oppressed him. His glance desperately evaded her charming, questioning
eyes and rested suddenly with a curious cool sense of relief on the face
of Mary Thorne, who had come up unperceived from behind.

But as their eyes met Buck was conscious of an odd veiled expression in
their clear depths which vaguely troubled him. It vanished quickly as Miss
Thorne moved quickly forward to embrace her friend.

"Stella!" she cried. "I'm so awfully glad to see you."

There were kisses and renewed embracings; the young man was greeted more
decorously but with almost equal warmth, and then suddenly Miss Thorne
turned to Stratton, who stood back a little, struggling between a longing
to escape and an equally strong desire to find out a little more about
this attractive but startling reminder of his unknown past.

"I had no idea you knew Miss Manning," she said, with the faintest hint of
stiffness in her manner.

Buck swallowed hard but was saved from further embarrassment by the girl.

"Oh, yes!" she said brightly. "We came home on the same ship. Mr. Green
had been wounded, you know, and was under my care. We got to be--great
friends."

Was there a touch of meaning in the last two words? Stratton preferred to
lay it to his imagination, and was glad of the diversion caused by the
introduction of the young man, who proved to be Miss Manning's brother.
Buck was not at all impressed by the fellow's handsome face, athletic
figure, and immaculate clothes. The clothes especially seemed ridiculously
out of place for even a visitor on a ranch, and he had always detested
those dinky half-shaved mustaches.

Meanwhile the trunks had been carried in and the team led away, and Pedro
was peevishly complaining from the kitchen door that dinner was