shepherd, "you misunderstand me. I
did not mean that. It would be a pleasure to teach you. I was
thinking how little you realized what the real life of the city is
like, and how much you have that the 'fine ladies,' as you call
them, would give fortunes for, and how little they have after all
that could add one ray of brightness to your life."

Sammy laughed aloud, as she cried, "Me got anything that anybody
would want? Why, Dad, I ain't got nothin' but Brownie, and my
saddle, and--and that's all. I sure ain't got nothing to lose."

The man smiled in sympathy. Then slowly a purpose formed in his
mind. "And if you should lose, you will never blame me?" he said
at last.

"Never, never," she promised eagerly.

"Alright, it is a bargain. I will help you."

The girl sprang to her feet. "I knew you would. I knew you would.
I was plumb sure you would," she cried, fairly quivering with life
and excitement. "It's got to be a sure 'nough lady, Dad. I want to
be a really truly fine lady, like them Ollie tells about in his
letters, you know."

"Yes, Sammy. I understand, a 'sure enough' lady, and we will do
it, I am sure. But it will take a great deal of hard work on your
part, though."

"I reckon it will," she returned soberly, coming back to her seat.
Then drawing her chair a little closer, she leaned toward her
teacher, "Begin now," she commanded. "Tell me what I must do
first."

Mr. Howitt carefully searched his pockets for a match, and lighted
his pipe again, before he said, "First you must know what a 'sure
enough' lady is. You see, Sammy, there are several kinds of women
who call themselves ladies, but are not real ladies after all; and
they all look very much like the 'sure enough' kind; that is, they
look like them to most people."

Sammy nodded, "Just like them Thompsons down by Flat Rock. They're
all mighty proud, 'cause they come from Illinois the same as the
Matthews's. You'd think to hear 'em that Old Matt couldn't near
run the ranch without 'em, and some folks, strangers like, might
believe it. But we all know they ain't nothing but just low down
trash, all the time, and no better than some of them folks over on
the Bend."

The shepherd smiled, "Something like that. I see you understand.
Now a real lady, Sammy, is a lady in three ways: First, in her
heart; I mean just to herself, in the things that no one but she
could ever know. A 'sure enough' lady does not PRETEND to be; she
IS."

Again the girl