rowd, listening to the threats against and denouncing the vandals who
had "shot up" the fiddler.

"See here, you hombres, I'm on to you," said Ted. "Now you've got to do
the square thing. You've beaten the dancers out of the music, and you've
got to get in and furnish it, or I'll tell these punchers who plugged
the fiddler's bow."

"How did you get on to it?" said Clay, with a grin.

"Never mind. Is it a go?"

"I reckon it'll have to be," said Clay, looking suggestively at Billy
Sudden.

"All right," said Billy.

The cow-punchers, who had come to dance with the girls from the ranches,
were growing angry, and were telling what they would do to the fellow
who had spoiled their fun if they caught him, when Ted Strong stepped
upon the platform, and, holding up his hand for silence, said:

"Gentlemen, please do not get obstreperous. You shall have all the
dancing you want. Ladies, please be patient; the music that is to follow
is such as has never been heard at a dance in this part of the country.
Mr. Clay Whipple, of the Moon Valley Ranch, and Mr. Billy Sudden, of
the Dumb-bell Ranch, will play the violin and piano respectively. Both
of them are cow-punchers, so don't take any liberties with them, or some
one will get hurt."

There was such cheering that the roof almost went off as Clay hunted up
a violin and tuned it.

Then began a waltz such as they had never heard, and in a moment the
floor was covered with dancers, the officers in their uniforms, and the
ladies in their light dresses, adding beauty to the scene. But the
finest-looking couple on the floor was Stella and the leader of the
broncho boys.

Just before the dance began Bud approached Stella, and said:

"See that gal over thar? Ther one with ther corn-silk bang? She is mine,
an' I'm goin' ter dance this with her; see? She's ther kind o' girl I
admire. She's shore corn-fed, an' some woman."

"Don't you know who that is?" asked Stella.

"'Deed an' I don't, but I soon will. Who is she?"

"That's Sophy Cozak, from over on the Bohemian prairie. She's rich,
Bud."

"I don't care nothin' erbout thet. She's shaped up jest erbout right.
Yaller hair, and soft as feathers. Watch my smoke."

Bud sauntered over to the girl, who was really pretty and fat and pink.
Apparently he was talking his usual nonsense to her, for she smiled,
then arose from her chair, and went sailing around the room, Bud's
partner in the waltz, and every time they passed Ted and S