ill! He went
down to Cabillo and brought the petition up to me."

Jim held Pen's hand close in his own. "I can't seem to understand it
all," he said. "I don't deserve it. Think of the farmers doing this!
Aren't they a fine lot of fellows, though! Gee, Penny, there is going to
be some great team work on this Project from now on! The water power
trust won't be able to get in here with a hydraulic ram! What can they
do with a prosperous and responsible group of farmers like these!"

"Jim," cried Penelope, "there is no limit to what I want you to do! This
is just the beginning. After you have finished here, you must go to
other Projects and after that, you must go to Congress and it will be
war to the knife all the time. It's a wonderful future you are going to
have, Still Jim."

Jim laughed happily. "And where will you be all this time, Penny? I
understand that you are quite, quite through with marriage, and it will
be very improper for you to keep on taking such an active interest in a
bachelor's affairs. And yet this bachelor just can't go on without you!"

Pen answered evasively. "That's open to discussion. Jimmy, some day, you
will buy back the old house at Exham."

"It would never be the same, with dad gone," said Jim.

"Even if your father were alive, Jimmy, it couldn't be the same,"
answered Pen. "It's just that the thought of the old house will always
renew your old instincts, Still. You can't return Exham's old sweet days
to it. But Exham has done its work, I believe, out here on this
Project."

Pen's smile was very sweet in the starlight. Jim put both his hands on
her shoulders.

"Do you love me, dear?" he asked.

Pen looked up into his eyes long and earnestly.

"I always have, Still Jim," she said.

"Do you want to know how I love you? Oh, sweetheart, I have so little to
offer you!" he went on, brokenly, without waiting for Pen's answer,
"except abiding love and passionate love and adoring love! And you are
so very beautiful, Penelope. I've hungered for you for a long, long
time, dear. Bitter, bitter nights and days up on the Makon and hopeless
nights and days here on the Cabillo." His hands tightened on her
shoulders. "Did you come back to me, sweetheart?"

"Still," whispered Pen, "I missed you so! I had to come back."

Then Jim drew Pen to him and folded her close in his strong arms and
laid his lips to hers in a long kiss.

And the flag fluttered lightly behind them and the desert wind whispe