The
lunching. The sun. The blessed sun and gracious woodland slopes
shutting in this happy playground of men and women become children
again at the touch of pleasure's magic wand. No, for all her anxiety,
Nan had no power to withstand the charm and delirium of it all. And,
for a while, she flung herself into it with an abandon which matched
the most reckless.

Twice she found herself in financial difficulties through reckless
betting, and twice the open-handed Bud had to come to her assistance.
Each time his comment was characteristic, and Nan laughed at him with
the irresponsibility of a child who tastes the delight of gambling for
the first time.

"Say, little gal," Bud admonished her, the second time he unrolled his
"wad" of bills. "Makin' dollars on a race-track's jest about as easy
as makin' ice-cream. Ther's jest one way of doing it. Ast yourself
which hoss you're craziest to dope out your money on, an' when you're
plumb sure then get right along an' bet on the other feller.
Meanwhiles think in dollars an' play in cents."

And Nan's answer reflected her feelings of the moment.

"You can't play in cents, my Daddy, when it's time to play in dollars.
You never know when the time's coming along when even cents are denied
you."

Then before the worshipping parent could add to his advice the girl
darted off with her hands full of outspread bills seeking the pool
rooms.

She had seen the horses cantering over to the post for the half-mile
dash. It was a race for legitimate cow-ponies and she knew Jeff's
"Sassafras" was running in it. She meant to bet on Jeff's horse. It
mattered nothing to her what other horses were running. She knew
little enough of their claims. She had one thought in life. Anything
to do with Jeff Masters, anything of his was good enough for her to
gamble on--even with her life. This was the real, all unconscious Nan.
It was not in her to give half measure. She had no idea of what she
was doing. She had no subtlety or calculation of anything where her
love was concerned. She would back Jeff to the limit, and stand or
fall by it. It was the simple loyalty and devotion which only a woman
can yield.

On her way to the pool room she encountered Jeff himself, and, in the
excitement of the moment, clasping her money in both hands, she thrust
them out toward him.

"Say, Jeff," she cried, "I'm just crazy. The horses have gone right
out to the start now, and--and I'm gasping to p