iet half-day, with you and Dorman off the place
together. I'll wager their felicitations fell rather flat."

Beatrice laughed. "Very likely. I know they were mourning because their
lace-making had been neglected lately. What with that trip to Lost
Canyon to-morrow, and to the mountains Friday, I'm afraid the lace will
continue to suffer. What do you think of a round-up, Sir Redmond?"

"It's deuced nasty," said he. "Such a lot of dust and noise. I fancy the
workmen don't find it pleasant."

"Yes, they do; they like it," she declared. "Dick says a cowboy is never
satisfied off the range. And you mustn't call them workmen, Sir Redmond.
They'd resent it, if they knew. They're cowboys, and proud of it. They
seem rather a pleasant lot of fellows, on the whole. I have been talking
to one or two."

"Well, we're all through here," Dick announced, riding up. "I'm going
to ride around by Keith's place, to see a horse I'm thinking of buying.
Want to go along, Trix? Or are you tired?"

"I'm never tired," averred his sister, readjusting a hat-pin and
gathering up her reins. "I always want to go everywhere that you'll take
me, Dick. Consider that point settled for the summer. Are you coming,
Sir Redmond?"

"I think not, thank you," he said, not quite risen above his rebuff of
the morning. "I told Mary I would be back for lunch."

"I was wiser; I refused even to venture an opinion as to when I should
be back. Well, 'so-long'!"

"You're learning the lingo pretty fast, Trix," Dick chuckled, when they
were well away from Sir Redmond. "Milord almost fell out of the saddle
when you fired that at him. Where did you pick it up?"

"I've heard you say it a dozen times since I came. And I don't care if
he is shocked--I wanted him to be. He needn't be such a perfect bear;
and I know mama and Miss Hayes don't expect him to lunch, without us. He
just did it to be spiteful."

"Jerusalem, Trix! A little while ago you said he was a dear! You
shouldn't snub him, if you want him to be nice to you."

"I don't want him to be nice," flared Beatrice. "I don't care how
he acts. Only, I must say, ill humor doesn't become him. Not that it
matters, however."

"Well, I guess we can get along without him, if he won't honor us with
his company. Here comes Keith. Brace up, sis, and be pleasant."

Beatrice glanced casually at the galloping figure of Dick's neighbor,
and frowned.

"You mustn't flirt with Keith," Dick admonished gravely. "He's a good