e being the tallest crowned, the widest brimmed. His
face was like a girl's for its smoothness and its prettiness; his eyes
were like blue flowers of sweet innocence; on his forehead his hair was
a cluster of little yellow ringlets. And yet he managed full well to
convey the impression that he was less innocent than insolent, a
somewhat true impression; for from high heels to finger-tips he was a
downright, simon-pure rascal.

Yellow Barbee's eyes fairly invaded Helen's as he jerked her his bow.
They were two youngsters, and in at least, and perhaps in at most, one
matter they were alike: she prided herself that she 'knew' men, and to
Barbee all women were an open, oft-read book.

Plainly Barbee was something of a favourite here; further, being a
visitor, he was potentially of interest to the men who had not been off
the ranch for matters of weeks and months. When Alan Howard and the
professor picked up their conversation, and again Helen found herself
monopolized by John Carr, from here and there about the table came
pointed remarks to Yellow Barbee. Helen, though she listened to Carr
and was never unconscious of her father and Howard, understood, after
the strange fashion of women, all that was being said about her. Early
she gathered that there was, somewhere in the world, a dashing young
woman styled the 'Widow.' Further, she had the quick eyes to see that
Barbee blushed when an old cattle-man with a roguish eye cleared his
throat and made aloud some remark about Mrs. Murray. Yes; Barbee the
insolent, the swaggering, the worldly-wise and conceited Barbee,
actually blushed.

Though the hour was late it was not yet dark when the meal was done.
Somehow Howard was at Helen's side when they went to the living-room
and out to the front porch; Carr started with them, hesitated and held
back, finally stepping over for a word with an old Mexican. Helen
noted that Barbee had moved around the table and was talking with her
father. As she and Howard found chairs on the porch, Longstreet and
Barbee passed them and went out, talking together.

Chapter V

The Good Old Sport

The Longstreets remained several days upon Desert Valley Ranch, as the
wide holding had been known for half a century. Also John Carr and his
young retainer, Yellow Barbee, prolonged their stay. It appeared that
Carr had come over from some vague place still further toward the east
upon some matter of business connected with the sale of