said. "What starved bears
we were!.... I wonder if I shall enjoy eating--when I get home. I used
to be so finnicky and picky."

"Carley, don't talk about home," said Glenn, appealingly.

"You dear old farmer, I'd love to stay here and just dream--forever,"
replied Carley, earnestly. "But I came on purpose to talk seriously."

"Oh, you did! About what?" he returned, with some quick, indefinable
change of tone and expression.

"Well, first about your work. I know I hurt your feelings when I
wouldn't listen. But I wasn't ready. I wanted to--to just be gay with
you for a while. Don't think I wasn't interested. I was. And now, I'm
ready to hear all about it--and everything."

She smiled at him bravely, and she knew that unless some unforeseen
shock upset her composure, she would be able to conceal from him
anything which might hurt his feelings.

"You do look serious," he said, with keen eyes on her.

"Just what are your business relations with Hutter?" she inquired.

"I'm simply working for him," replied Glenn. "My aim is to get an
interest in his sheep, and I expect to, some day. We have some plans.
And one of them is the development of that Deep Lake section. You
remember--you were with us. The day Spillbeans spilled you?"

"Yes, I remember. It was a pretty place," she replied.

Carley did not tell him that for a month past she had owned the
Deep Lake section of six hundred and forty acres. She had, in fact,
instructed Hutter to purchase it, and to keep the transaction a secret
for the present. Carley had never been able to understand the impulse
that prompted her to do it. But as Hutter had assured her it was a
remarkably good investment on very little capital, she had tried
to persuade herself of its advantages. Back of it all had been an
irresistible desire to be able some day to present to Glenn this ranch
site he loved. She had concluded he would never wholly dissociate
himself from this West; and as he would visit it now and then, she
had already begun forming plans of her own. She could stand a month in
Arizona at long intervals.

"Hutter and I will go into cattle raising some day," went on Glenn. "And
that Deep Lake place is what I want for myself."

"What work are you doing for Hutter?" asked Carley.

"Anything from building fence to cutting timber," laughed Glenn. "I've
not yet the experience to be a foreman like Lee Stanton. Besides, I have
a little business all my own. I put all my money in that