chingly at Hollis. "I've
never seen you before," he said. "Who are you?"

"I am Kent Hollis."

The young man's eyes lighted. "Not Jim Hollis's son?" he asked.

Hollis nodded. The young man's face revealed genuine pleasure. "You
going to stay in this here country?" he asked.

"I am going to run the Circle Bar," returned Hollis slowly.

"Bully!" declared the young man. "There's some folks around here said
you wouldn't have nerve enough to stay." He made a wry face. "But I
reckon you've got nerve or you'd have hit the breeze when I started to
stampede." He suddenly held out a hand. "I like you," he said
impulsively. "You and me are going to be friends. Shake!"

Hollis saw a smile of pleasure light up the girl's face, which she tried
to conceal by brushing the young man's clothing with a gloved hand,
meanwhile keeping him between her and Hollis.

Hollis stood near the boulder, watching them as they prepared to depart,
the girl telling her brother that he would find his pony on the plains
beyond the canyon.

"I am glad I didn't hit you," the young man told Hollis as he started
away with the girl. "If you are not scared off you might take a run down
to the shack some time--it's just down the creek a ways."

Hollis hesitated and then, catching the girl's glance, he smiled.

"I can't promise when," he said, looking at the girl, "but you may be
sure that I will look you up the first chance I get."

He stood beside the boulder until he saw them disappear around the wall
of the canyon. Then with a satisfied grin he walked to his pony,
mounted, and was off through the draw toward the Circle Bar ranchhouse.

CHAPTER VI

HOLLIS RENEWS AN ACQUAINTANCE

Rumor, that mysterious disseminator of news whose tongues are legion,
whispered that the Dry Bottom _Kicker_ was to come to life.
Wherefore curiosity led many of Dry Bottom's citizens past the door of
the _Kicker_ office to steal covert glances at the young man whose
figure was bent over the desk inside. Many passed in silence after
looking at the young man--he did not see them. Others commented gravely
or humorously according to their whim--the young man did not hear them.
Seated at the desk he gave his attention to the tasks before him--he was
not concerned with rumor; the curiosity of Dry Bottom's citizens did not
affect him. Seriously, methodically, steadily, he worked at his desk,
while rumor wagged her tongues and curiosity lounged past the window.

It wa