o you in that direction. Think it
over; I won't take no for an answer right off the reel."

As he was unsaddling the horses on their return that night, Miss Carter,
coming with some sugar lumps for her pet roan, stopped long enough to
shyly venture the hope that he would be able to become one of the
neighbors.

"The sale of their ranch will allow Nellie Vaughan to achieve the dream
of her life, an extended trip abroad, and one realizes so few of one s
dreams in this life, you know! Besides, you are part of the environment
to me. You really 'belong'! I do hope you will accept Mr. Brevoort's
proposal--for Nellie's sake!"

Very deliberately he hung the saddle on the rack. Then he came close to
her, looking very masterful and Strong in the white moonlight.

"Nellie is to be congratulated on the thoughtfulness of her loving
friends! But why should I, who am not one of them, take her into
consideration at all? Promiscuous philanthropy is not my forte. The
inducement is small. Have you nothing better to offer?"

"For our sakes, then;" she said ambiguously. "We will feel easier if you
remain on this range, feel more secure in our lives and property." He
flushed at the immensity of the compliment but ruthlessly forced her
hand.

"That's rather high, but still not enough. Bid again!"

"For _my_ sake!" It was nearly a whisper, but he heard. His eyes were
triumphantly bright as, deftly eluding his curving arm, she sped swiftly
away in the benign darkness. But it was a different glow from any which
had ever irradiated them before: This was that of a soft, sweet
tenderness that vaguely soothed even while strongly disconcerting him.
He was very quiet under the spell of it as he went into supper, and
noticeably distrait during the game of chess which he subsequently
played with Mrs. Brevoort in the big living room later on.

Beating him with ridiculous ease she declined another game, saying,
laughingly: "You are not in form to-night, Mr. Douglass, and I like
victories more difficult of achievement. Time was when I was content
with mere winning, no matter how easy the attainment of that end. But
this life out here has spoiled me for inanities forever. I have still
the insatiable desire for conquest, but now I want to go up against odds
and win, to bring into camp only opponents worthy of my steel."

"But that," he said, with conventional politeness, "is unthinkable.
There can be none entirely worthy of you!" She made a little