"But I'm not. I'm afraid of everything that other girls are afraid of."
Leaning forward confidentially, the girl continued: "I'm a hollow sham,
Mr. Gray, but dad doesn't know it. After I learned how badly he wanted
me to be a boy, and how he had set his heart on teaching me the things
he thought a son of his should know, I had a secret meeting with myself
and I voted unanimously to fill the specifications if it killed me. So
I began a fraudulent life. I'm in earnest. For instance, I abhor guns,
but I learned to shoot with either hand until--well, I'm pretty expert.
And roping! I can build a loop, jump through it, do straight and fancy
catches like a cowboy. I worked at it for months, years it seemed to
me. I knew very well it was a ridiculous waste of time, but I'll never
forget how proud dad was when I learned the 'butterfly.' That was my
reward. Horses used to frighten me blue, but I learned to ride well
enough. In fact, it has been a keen disappointment to him that I won't
enter the Frontier Day contests. He'd like nothing better than to see
me win the bucking-horse match. Think of it! And I'm so timid I can't
look an oat in the face!" Barbara attempted a shy laugh, but there was
a quaver to her voice, and when Gray continued to stare at her gravely,
sympathetically, her face quickly sobered. "Now you understand why my
father doesn't think it necessary to go along on my trips through the
oil fields. It has never occurred to him that I'm anything but 'Bob'
Parker, his boy. Mind you, he is lost in admiration of me and I rule
him like a slave. I think he is great, too, and he _is_. He is the
dearest, gentlest, sweetest father in the world, and I wouldn't have
him learn the hideous truth about me for anything."

For a moment Barbara's listener studied her thoughtfully, then he said:
"I'm immensely flattered that you like me well enough to make me your
confessor. Now I'm going to confess to you that I also am an arrant
coward."

"Please don't joke. You have become quite a famous character, and if
the stories I hear are true--"

"The stories one hears are never true. I have my share of physical
courage, perhaps; that's a common, elementary virtue, like generosity,
gratitude, sympathy. The most mediocre people are blessed that way."

"Oh! Generosity and gratitude are divine qualities!"

Gray shook his head positively. "Impulses! Heart impulses, not brain
impulses. They have nothing to do with character. Now I'm deathl