s case, and spreading his line to dry. And a few moments later
the two sat down to a breakfast of hot biscuits, coffee, bacon, and
trout, crisp and brown, smoking from the pan.

"You must have ridden nearly all night to have reached here so early,"
ventured the girl as she poured a cup of steaming coffee.

"No," laughed Christie, "I spent the night at the Wattses'. I had some
drawing paper and pencils for David Golieth. Do you know, I've a
notion to send that kid to school some place. He's wild about drawing.
Takes me all over the hills for a mile or two around the ranch and
shows me pictures he has drawn with charcoal wherever there is a piece
of flat rock. He's as shy and sensitive as a girl, until he begins to
talk about his drawing, then his big eyes fairly glow with enthusiasm
as he points out the good points of some of his creations, and the
defects of others. All of them, of course, are crude as the pictorial
efforts of the Indians, but it seems to me that here and there I can
see a flash of real genius."

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if he should become a famous artist!"
exclaimed the girl. "And wouldn't you feel proud of having discovered
him? And I guess lots of them do come from just as unpromising
parentage."

"It wouldn't be so remarkable," smiled the man. "Watts, himself is a
genius--for inventing excuses to rest."

"How is the sick man?" asked Patty. "The one you went to see, over on
Big Porcupine, wasn't it?"

"Yes, old man Samuelson. Fine old fellow--Samuelson. I sure hope he'll
pull through. Doc Mallory came while I was there, and he told me he's
got a good fighting chance. And a fighting chance is all that old
fellow asks--even against pneumonia. He's a man!"

"I wonder if there is anything I could do?" asked the girl.

Christie's face brightened. "Why, yes, if you would. It's a long ride
from here--thirty miles or so. There's nothing you could take them,
they're very well fixed--capital Chinese cook and all that. But I've
an idea that just the fact that you called would cheer them immensely.
They lost a daughter years ago who would be about your age, I think.
They've got a son, but he's up in Alaska, or some place where they
can't reach him. Decidedly I think it would do those old people a
world of good. You'll find Mrs. Samuelson different from----"

"Ma Watts?" interrupted Patty.

The man laughed, "Yes, from Ma Watts. Although she's a well meaning
soul. She's going over and 'stay a spell'