erything's
all straight up there. We know all about him, and how and where he got
his few head of stock, and everything. But of course you could ask
Junkins, if you have any doubt--"

"Oh, we'll take your word for it. I just wanted to know; he's a
stranger to our outfit. I've seen him a few times; what's his name?
Us boys call him Noisy. It's like pulling a wisdom tooth to get any
kinda talk out of him."

"He is awful quiet," assented Billy Louise carelessly. "But he's real
steady to work."

"Them quiet fellows generally are," put in Mr. Birken. "You run stock
in here too, do you, Miss MacDonald?"

"The big Ds," answered Billy Louise and smiled faintly. "I've been
range-herding them back here in these foothills this summer. Do you
want to look through the bunch?"

Mr. Birkin blushed. "Oh, no, not at all! I was wondering if you had
lost any."

"Nobody would rustle cattle from a lady, I hope? At any rate, I
haven't missed any yet. The folks down in the Cove have, though."

"Yes, I heard they had. That breed rode over to see if he could get a
line on them. It's hard luck; that Charlie Fox seems a fine,
hard-working boy, don't you think?"

"Yes-s," said Billy Louise shyly, "he seems real nice." She looked
away and bit her lip self-consciously as she spoke.

The two men swallowed the bait like a hungry fish. They glanced at
each other and winked knowingly. Billy Louise saw them from the tail
of her downcast eye, and permitted herself a little sigh of relief.
They would be the more ready now to accept at its face value her
statement concerning Ward, unless they credited her with the feat of
being in love with the two men at the same time.

"Well, I'm sorry Charlie Fox has been tapped off, too. He's a mighty
fine chap," declared Floyd with transparent heartiness, his round eyes
dwelling curiously upon the face of Billy Louise.

"Yes, I must be going," said that young woman self-consciously. "I've
quite a circle to ride yet. I hope you locate the rustlers, and if
there's anything I can do--if I see or hear anything that seems to be a
clew--I'll let you know right away. I've been keeping my eyes open for
some trace of them, and--so has Char--Mr. Fox." Then she blushed and
told them good-by very hastily and loped off up the ridge.

"Bark up that tree for awhile, you two!" she said, with a twist of her
lips, when she was well away from them. "You--you darned idiots! To
go prowling around Wa