r plains town."

Berrie looked round at the forlorn shops, the irregular sidewalks, the
grassless yards. "It isn't very pretty, that's a fact; but you can always
forget it by just looking up at the high country. When you going up to
the mill?"

"I don't know. I haven't had any word from Meeker, and I can't reach him
by telephone."

"I know, the line is short-circuited somewhere; but they've sent a man
out. He may close it any minute."

"Where's the Supervisor?" asked Nash.

"He's gone over to Moore's cutting. How are you getting on with those
plats?"

"Very well. I'll have 'em all in shape by Saturday."

"Come in and make yourself at home," said the girl to Norcross. "You'll
find the papers two or three days old," she smiled. "We never know about
anything here till other people have forgotten it."

Norcross followed her into the office, curious to know more about her.
She was so changed from his previous conception of her that he was
puzzled. She had the directness and the brevity of phrase of a business
man, as she opened letters and discussed their contents with the men.

"Truly she _is_ different," thought Norcross, and yet she lost something
by reason of the display of her proficiency as a clerk. "I wish she would
leave business to some one else," he inwardly grumbled as he rose to go.

She looked up from her desk. "Come in again later. We may be able to
reach the mill."

He thanked her and went back to his hotel, where he overhauled his outfit
and wrote some letters. His disgust of the town was lessened by the
presence of that handsome girl, and the hope that he might see her at
luncheon made him impatient of the clock.

She did not appear in the dining-room, and when Norcross inquired of Nash
whether she took her meals at the hotel or not, the expert replied: "No,
she goes home. The ranch is only a few miles down the valley.
Occasionally we invite her, but she don't think much of the cooking."

One of the young surveyors put in a word: "I shouldn't think she would.
I'd ride ten miles any time to eat one of Mrs. McFarlane's dinners."

"Yes," agreed Nash with a reflective look in his eyes. "She's a mighty
fine girl, and I join the boys in wishing her better luck than marrying
Cliff Belden."

"Is it settled that way?" asked Norcross.

"Yes; the Supervisor warned us all, but even he never has any good words
for Belden. He's a surly cuss, and violently opposed to the service. His
brother is one of t