afternoon, and Hallie,
who had never seen so many cattle before in her life, was delighted with
the experience she was about to undergo.

The weather was splendid, and Stella rode up and down with her along the
line, introducing such of the boys as had not met her, and teaching her
the points of the cattle business.

Finally, Hallie got hold of Bud, who volunteered to teach her how to
shoot and throw a lariat, and she was perfectly happy, and soon forgot
the unpleasant occurrences at her home before she left.

Stella was just spoiling for a good, hard gallop, and tried to get Ted
to go with her in a race across the prairie, but he politely but firmly
declined the honor, on account, as he explained, that he was responsible
for the safety of several thousand head of cattle, and as he had been up
against one failure with them so far he did not propose to face another
because of neglect.

"All right, Smarty," said Stella. "You don't have to go. But you'll be
sorry if anything happens to me."

"Stay with the herd, Stella," he said. "What's the use of tearing off
alone across the prairie?"

"Not very much, as a matter of fact, but if you'd been shut up in a poky
old hotel for a couple of weeks, and only going out with your aunt to
shop around in stuffy dry-goods stores, you'd like to get out for a
breezer yourself," she said.

"I reckon I would, but don't go far, and get back before dark."

She waved her hand to him gayly, gave Magpie a flick with her whip, and
went flying across the country.

"Hi, Stella!" shouted Kit. "Where you goin'?"

But she was already out of hearing.

"Let her go," said Ted. "She's got one of her crazy riding spells on,
and she'll just have to ride it out of her."

In a few minutes she was a speck on the horizon.

"That girl can ride some," said Kit, looking regretfully after her. Kit
could "ride some" himself, and this afternoon he just felt like a good
breeze across the turf, and no one suited him for a riding companion
like Stella, for she was so fearless and bold, and never balked at a
chance.

But Stella was gone, and the drive settled down to a steady thing.

We will leave the herd for the present to follow the fortunes of Stella,
whose ride that afternoon had so much to do with fashioning the
immediate fortunes of Ted Strong and the broncho boys.

As Stella was borne exultingly along through the clear, sharp air of the
Montana uplands, she was singing in a high, sweet voice