und, but all the time it had been
decided by the God-of-things-as-they-are that our orbits were going to
run together and gravitate into the same one when the right time came.
It has come now."

"Yes, Bucky," she answered softly. "We belong, dear."

"Hello, here's the end of the canon. The ranch lies right behind that
spur."

"Does it?" Presently she added: "I'm all a-tremble, Bucky. To think I'm
going to meet my father and my mother for the first time really, for I
don't count that other time when we didn't know. Suppose they shouldn't
like me."

"Impossible. Suppose something reasonable," her lover replied.

"But they might not. You think, you silly boy, that because you do
everybody must. But I'm so glad I'm clothed and in my right mind again.
I couldn't have borne to meet my mother with that boys suit on. Do you
think I look nice in this? I had to take what I could find ready-made,
you know."

Unless his eyes were blinded by the glamour of love, he saw the sweetest
vision of loveliness he had known. Such a surpassing miracle of soft,
dainty curves, such surplusage of beauty in bare throat, speaking eye,
sweet mouth, and dimpled cheeks! But Bucky was a lover, and perhaps no
fair judge, for in that touch of vagueness, of fairy-land, lent by the
moonlight, he found the world almost too beautiful to believe. Did she
look NICE? How beggarly words were to express feelings, after all.

The vaquero with them rode forward and pointed to the valley below,
where the ranch-house huddled in a pellucid sea of moonlight.

"That's the Rocking Chair, sir."

Presently there came a shout from the ranch, and a man galloped toward
them. He passed Bucky with a wave of his hand and made directly for
Henderson.

"Dave! Dave, old partner," he cried, leaping from his horse and catching
the other's hand. "After all these years you've risen from the dead and
come back to me." His voice was broken with emotion.

"Come! Let's canter forward to the ranch," said Bucky to Frances and the
vaquero, thinking it best to leave the two old comrades together for a
while.

Mrs. Mackenzie and Alice met them at the gate. "Did you bring him? Did
you bring Dave?" the older lady asked eagerly.

"Yes, we brought him," answered Bucky, helping Frances to dismount.

He led the girl to her mother. "Mrs. Mackenzie, can you stand good
news?"

She caught at the gate. "What news? Who is this lady?"

"Her name is Frances."

"Frances what?"

"Fran