frankly, and measured the slender figure from accurately
dented hat-crown to tiny shoe-tips. "Well, yuh sure don't look it," he
said bluntly, at length. "Why that elaborate disguise of
respectability?"

Pink sat him down on an empty beer case in the shade of the saloon and
daintily rolled a cigarette.

"Yuh see, it's like this," he began, in his soft voice. "When the
Cross L moved their stock across the line Rowdy Vaughan had charge uh
the outfit; and, seeing we're pretty good friends, uh course I went
along. I hadn't been over there a month till I had occasion t' thump
the daylights out uh one uh them bone-headed grangers that vitiates the
atmosphere up there; and I put him all to the bad. So a bunch uh them
gaudy buck-policemen rose up and fogged me back across the line; a man
has sure got t' turn the other cheek up there, or languish in _ga_-ol."

Pink brought the last word out as if it did not taste good.

"I hit for the home range, which is Upper Milk River. But it was
cussed lonesome with all the old bunch gone; so I sold my outfit and
quit cow-punching for good. I wonder if the puncher lives that didn't
sell his saddle and bed, and reform at least once in his checkered
career!

"I had a fair-sized roll so I took the home trail back to Minnesota,
and chewed on the fatted calf all last winter and this summer. It
wasn't bad, only the girls run in bunches and are dead anxious to tie
up to some male human. I dubbed around and dodged the loop long as I
could stand it, and then I drifted.

"I kinda got hungry for the feel of a good horse between m' legs once
more. It made me mad to see houses on every decent bed-ground, and
fences so thick yuh couldn't get out and fan the breeze if yuh tried.
I tell yuh straight, old-timer, last month I was home I plumb wore out
mother's clothes-line roping the gate-post. For the Lord's sake, stake
me to a string! and I don't give a damn how rough a one it is!"

Chip sat down on a neighboring case and regarded the dapper little
figure curiously. Such words, coming from those girlishly rosy lips,
with the dimples dodging in and out of his pink cheeks, had an odd
effect of unreality. But Pink plainly was in earnest. His eyes behind
the dancing light of harmless deviltry, were pleading and wistful as a
child.

"You're it!" said Chip relievedly. "You can go right to work. Seems
you're the man I've been looking for, only I will say I didn't
recognize yuh on sight.