anch game," he would have mentioned brands at first, as
the most important point, instead of tacking on the information
casually after ten minutes of other less vital details.

"Were they vented?" she asked, suppressing the smile so that it was
merely a twitch of the lips which might mean anything.

"I--yes, I think they were. That's what you call it when the former
owner puts his brand in a different place to show that his ownership
has ceased, isn't it? Seabeck puts his brand upside down--"

"I know Seabeck's vent," Billy Louise cut in. There was no need of
letting such a fine fellow display more ignorance on the subject. "And
I should have noticed it if I had seen four calves vented fresh and not
rebranded. Why in the world didn't you stick your brand on at the same
time?" Billy Louise was losing patience with his greenness.

"I didn't have my branding iron with me," Charlie answered humbly. "I
have done that before, when I bought those other cows and calves. I--"

"You'd better pack your iron, next time," she retorted. "If you can't
get a little bunch of calves ten miles without losing them--"

"But you must understand, I did! I took them home and turned them into
the Cove. I know--I'm an awful chump at this. There are things that I
can do," he declared whimsically, "or I should want to kick myself to
death. I can ladle out money the year round through a bank wicket and
not be shy a cent at the end of the year. And I can strike out man
after man--when I'm in good form; why, I've pitched whole games and
never walked a man! And I can--but what's the use? I can't drive the
cows up from pasture, it seems, without losing all the milk. And I can
make a little, gray-eyed girl out here in the sagebrush look upon me
with pitying contempt for my asinine ignorance. Hang it, why does a
fellow have to learn fresh lessons for everything he undertakes? Why
can't there be a universal course that fits one for every trade?"

"There is," said Billy Louise dryly. "You take that in the School of
Experience, don't you?"

He laughed ruefully. "Horatio! It certainly does cost something,
though. I've certainly paid enough--"

"In worry, maybe. The calves may not be absolutely lost, you know.
Why, I lost a big steer last spring and never found him till I was
going to sell a few head. Then he turned up, the biggest and fattest
one in the bunch. You can't tell; they get themselves in queer places
sometimes.