"Any mail for the herders?" Bowers asked, innocently, since she showed
no disposition to give him her confidence farther.

He watched her intently as she sorted the mail, tossing him a paper
finally from which he removed the wrapper with a certain eagerness. He
peered into it with a secrecy that attracted her attention, and, looking
at it hard, Kate recognized it as the publication of a matrimonial
agency.

"Bowers, you surprise me!" She regarded him quizzically.

Bowers started guiltily.

"Aw--it's one they sent me," he said disparagingly--"jest a sample
copy."

"Bowers, I think you're lying," she accused him good-humoredly. "Tell me
the truth--didn't you send for it?"

He squirmed and colored.

"I did write to 'em--out of cur'osity."

"Don't forget that married men are not hired into this Outfit," she
reminded him, smiling. "I'd be sorry to lose you."

"Gosh a'mighty!" he protested vigorously. "I ain't no use fer women!"

The subject seemed to interest him, however, for he continued with
animation:

"They's always somethin' about 'em I don't like when I git to know 'em.
I've knowed several real well--six or eight, altogether, countin' two
that run restauraws and one that done my warshin'. I got a kind o'
cur'osity about 'em, but I don't take no personal interest in 'em.
Why--Gosh--a'mighty--"

Bowers nearly kicked the stove over in his embarrassed denial.

Kate looked after him speculatively as he made his escape in a relief
that was rather obvious. His protests had been too vehement to be
convincing. Was he growing discontented? Didn't her friendship satisfy
him any longer?

There was something of the patient trust of a sheepdog in Bowers's
fidelity. "The queen can do no wrong," was his attitude. Kate was so
accustomed to his devotion and admiration that it gave her a twinge to
think of sharing it.

She called after him as he was leaving:

"If you meet that freighter, tell him for me he'll get his check if he
gets in again as early as he did last trip. I won't have a horse left
with a sound pair of shoulders."

"And I fergot to tell you that somebody's 'salted' over in Burnt Basin,"
he answered, turning back. "There's a hunerd head o' cattle eatin' off
the feed there. We'll need that, later."

"Tsch! tsch!" Kate frowned her annoyance at the information.

"Be sure and warn Neifkins's herder as soon as you can get around to
it," she reminded him.

"You bet!" Bowers responded cheerfully, an