r eyes,
one that seemed to tell of her inability to understand so needless a
question.

"I just didn't," she rejoined, after a moment. "I discovered that you
Easterners value things which are diametrically opposite to the things
we value, and that you value not at all those things which we value most
of all."

He had to laugh. "What are they?" he wanted to know.

For an instant she showed shyness. "Oh, I can't say," she declared,
finally. "Some day I may tell you."

Stephen realized that it must be serious. He was hesitating whether to
press her further, when he saw her tighten her reins, put spurs to her
horse, and go flashing off in the direction of the mountain trail. As
she dashed off he heard her call out:

"Pat!" she cried. "Pat! It's Pat!" Then she glanced to the rear. "Adele!
Sam! It's Pat! Come, quick!"

Stephen spurred on with the others. He galloped after this hard-riding
girl--so intensely alive--a girl past his understanding. Over dunes and
across flats he charged, followed closely by the others, urging his
horse to his utmost. But, try as he might, he could not overtake her or
even lessen the distance between them, so furious was her race for her
lost horse. Finally he burst out upon the trail and drew rein beside
her, standing with the others in the path of an oncoming wood-wagon,
anxiously awaiting its slow approach.

It was a curious outfit. One of the team, an aged and decrepit horse,
was laboring along with head drooping and hoofs scuffling the trail,
while beside it, with head erect and nostrils aquiver and hoofs lifting
eagerly, stepped the glorious Pat! Both horses were draped in a
disreputable harness, crudely patched with makeshift string and wire,
and both were covered with a fine coating of dust. Atop all this, high
and mighty upon an enormous load of wood, sat a Mexican, complacently
smoking a cigarette and contentedly swinging his heels, evidently elated
with this prospect of parading his horse before a group of Americans.
But as he drew close a look of uneasiness crept over him, and he pulled
up his team and shrugged his shoulders, as a preliminary, no doubt, to
disappearance behind the Mexican shield of "No sabe!"

Helen swung close to him. There was a choice between a contest and
diplomatic concession. She decided to offer to purchase the horse at
once, believing this to be the easiest way out of the trouble.

"_Senor_," she began in Spanish, "_deseo comprar_ _aquel
caballo neg