men were delighted at this divine simplicity. "A man who runs,
jumps, climbs--and all that sort, in the circus."

"But isn't he runnin', jumpin', and climbin' away from ye now?" she
continued with adorable naivete.

The deputy smiled, but straightened in the saddle. "We're bound to come
up with him afore he reaches Lowville; and between that and this house
it's a dead level, where a gopher couldn't leave his hole without your
spottin' him a mile off! Good-by!" The words were addressed to Ira,
but the parting glance was directed to the pretty wife as the two men
galloped away.

An odd uneasiness at this sudden revelation of his wife's prettiness and
its evident effect upon his visitors came over Ira. It resulted in his
addressing the empty space before his door with, "Well, ye won't ketch
much if ye go on yawpin' and dawdlin' with women-folks like this;" and
he was unreasonably delighted at the pretty assent of disdain and scorn
which sparkled in his wife's eyes as she added:--

"Not much, I reckon!"

"That's the kind of official trash we have to pay taxes to keep up,"
said Ira, who somehow felt that if public policy was not amenable to
private sentiment there was no value in free government. Mrs. Beasley,
however, complacently resumed her dish-washing, and Ira returned to his
riata in the adjoining room. For quite an interval there was no sound
but the occasional click of a dish laid upon its pile, with fingers
that, however, were firm and untremulous. Presently Sue's low voice was
heard.

"Wonder if that deputy caught anything yet. I've a good mind to meander
up the road and see."

But the question brought Ira to the door with a slight return of his
former uneasiness. He had no idea of subjecting his wife to another
admiring interview. "I reckon I'll go myself," he said dubiously; "YOU'D
better stay and look after the house."

Her eyes brightened as she carried a pile of plates to the dresser;
it was possible she had foreseen this compromise. "Yes," she said
cheerfully, "you could go farther than me."

Ira reflected. He could also send them about their business if they
thought of returning. He lifted his hat from the floor, took his rifle
down carefully from its pegs, and slouched out into the road. Sue
watched him until he was well away, then flew to the back door, stopping
only an instant to look at her face in a small mirror on the wall,--yet
without noticing her new prettiness,--then ran to the barn. Ca