rs and sweet waters, Joan; we've
got to drink them both."

"It's the same way here," she said, "only we've got sense enough to
know the alkali holes before we drink out of them."

"But people are not that wise the world over, Joan."

Joan stood in silent thought, her far-reaching gaze on the dim curtain
of haze which hung between her and the world of men's activities,
strivings, and lamentations.

"If I had the money I'd go as soon--as soon as I knew a little more,"
she said. "But I've got to stick; I made that bargain with dad--he'd
never give me the money, but he'll buy me out when I've got enough to
stake me."

"Your father was over this morning."

"Yes, I know."

"He thinks _my_ education's advanced far enough to trust me with a
band of sheep. I'm going to have charge of the flock I've been running
here with Dad Frazer."

"I heard about it."

"And you don't congratulate me on becoming a paid sheepherder, my
first step on the way to flockmaster!"

"I don't know that you're to be congratulated," she returned, facing
him seriously. "All there is to success here is brute strength and
endurance against storms and winter weather--it don't take any brains.
Out there where you've been and I'm going, there must be something
bigger and better for a man, it seems to me. But maybe men get tired
of it--I don't know."

"You'll understand it better when you go there, Joan."

"Yes, I'll understand a lot of things that are locked up to me now.
Well, I don't want to go as much all the time now as I did--only in
spells sometimes. If you stay here and teach me, maybe I'll get over
it for good."

Joan laughed nervously, half of it forced, her face averted.

"If I could teach you enough to keep you here, Joan, I'd think it was
the biggest thing I'd ever done."

"I don't want to know any more if it means giving up," she said.

"It looks like giving up to you, Joan, but I've only started," he
corrected her, in gentle spirit.

"I oughtn't talk that way to you," she said, turning to him
contritely, her earnest eyes lifted to his, "it's none of my business
what you do. If you hadn't come here I'd never have heard of--of
_amare_, maybe."

Joan bent her head, a flush over her brown cheeks, a smile of mischief
at the corners of her mouth. Mackenzie laughed, but strained and
unnaturally, his own tough face burning with a hot tide of mounting
blood.

"Somebody else would have taught you--you'd have conjugated it in
anot