at that, but the girl came up with extended
hand. He took it shyly, but it made him curiously bold. "I'm glad to
meet you, Mr. Elden," she said.

"I'm glad to meet you, too," he answered. "Misses is scarcer than
misters in this neck o' the woods."

Carefully they lifted the injured man into the wagon, and Dave drove to
the ranch building with an unwonted caution that must have caused
strange misgivings in the hearts of his team.

"It ain't much of a place," he said, as they pulled up at the door. "I
guess you can see that for yourself," he added, with a grin. "You see,
there's just Dad and me, and he's soused most of the time, and I handle
a lasso better'n a scrubbin' brush." He was already losing his
shyness. "Now, you take the feet again. Steady, don't break any more
bones. Look out for that barrel hoop. This way, now."

He led into the old ranch house, kicking the door wider open with his
heel as he passed. A musty smell fell on the senses of the girl as she
entered, and she was conscious of the buzzing of innumerable flies. A
partition from east to west divided the house, and another partition
from north to south divided the northern half. In the north-east room
they set the stretcher on the floor.

"Now," Said the boy, "I'm goin' for the doctor. It's forty miles to
town, and it'll likely be mornin' before I'm back, but I'll sure burn
the trail. You'll have to make the best of it," he continued,
impersonally addressing the much-spotted window. "There's grub in the
house, and you won't starve--that is, if you can cook." (This was
evidently for Irene. There was a note in it that suggested the girl
might have her limitations.) "Dig in to anythin' in sight. And I hope
your father's leg won't hurt very much." Irene wondered afterwards why
the hope concerning her father should have been expressed to her. Did
he already feel--what was it?--better acquainted with her?

"Oh, I'll stand it," said Doctor Hardy, with some cheerfulness. "We
medical men become accustomed to suffering--in other people. You are
very kind. My daughter may remain in this room, I suppose? There is
no one else?"

"No one but the old man," he answered. "He's asleep in the next room,
safe till mornin'. I'll be back by that time. That's my bed,"
indicating a corner. "Make yourselves at home." He lounged through
the door and they heard his spurs clanking across the hard earth.

The girl's first thought was to assure