ut
there a cattle-baron is a bigger man than a railroad king. You see, he
makes the law--all there is--as well as supports the industry, for there's
not a sheriff in the country dares question him. The cattle-boys are his
retainers, and we've a squadron of them at the Range. They'd do just what
Torrance of Cedar told them, whatever it was, and there are few men who
could ride with them in the U. S. Cavalry."

"Then," said Flora Schuyler, "if the Government ever encouraged
homesteading in their country they'd make trouble."

Hetty laughed. "Yes," she said drily, "I guess they would, but no
government dares meddle with us."

"Well," said Flora Schuyler, "you haven't told us yet who Larry is. You
know quite well what I mean."

Hetty smiled. "I called him my partner when I was home. Larry held me on
my first pony, and has done 'most whatever I wanted him ever since.
Fremont isn't very far from the Range, and when I wanted to ride anywhere,
or to have a new horse broken, Larry was handy."

Miss Schuyler appeared reflective, but there was a bond of confidence
between the two, and the reserve that characterizes the Briton is much
less usual in that country.

"It always seemed to me, my dear, that an arrangement of that kind is a
little rough on the man, and I think this one is too good to spoil," she
said.

Hetty coloured a trifle, but she smiled. "It is all right with Larry. He
never expected anything."

"No?" said Flora Schuyler. "He never tried to make love to you?"

The tinge of colour grew a trifle deeper in Hetty's cheek. "Only once, and
I scarcely think he meant it. It was quite a long while ago, and I told
him he must never do it again."

"And since then he has tamed your horses, and bought you all the latest
songs and books--good editions in English art bindings. It was Larry who
sent you those flowers when we could scarcely get one?"

Hetty for some reason turned away her head. "Don't you get things of that
kind?"

A trace of gravity crept into Flora Schuyler's blue eyes, which were
unusually attractive ones. "When they come too often I send them back,"
she said. "Oh, I know I'm careless now and then, but one has to do the
square thing, and I wouldn't let any man do all that for me unless I was
so fond of him that I meant to marry him. Now I'm going to talk quite
straight to you, Hetty. You'll have to give up Larry by and by, but if you
find that's going to hurt you, send the other man away."

"You d