Yavapai Joe, you remember."

"If you think it quite safe to leave the vehicle," he said, "I should be
delighted."

Kitty tied the horses to a convenient bush at the foot of the low hill,
and soon they were in the welcome shade of the cedars.

"Miss Reid," the professor began, with portentous gravity, "I must
confess that I have been rather puzzled to account for your presence
here that day with such a man as that fellow Patches. You will pardon my
saying so, I am sure, but you must have observed my very deep interest
in you. I also chanced to see you with him one day in Prescott, in the
park. You don't mind my speaking of it?"

"Not at all, Professor Parkhill," Kitty returned, smiling as she thought
how ignorant the professor was of the cowboy's real character. "I like
Patches. He interests me very much; and there is really no reason why I
should not be friendly with him. Don't you think that I should be kind
to our cowboys?"

"I suppose so," the professor sighed. "But it hurts me to see you have
anything whatever in common with such a man. It shocks me to know that
you must, in any degree, come in touch with such fellows. I shall be
very glad, indeed, when you are free from any such kindly obligations,
and safe among those of your own class."

Kitty found it very hard to reply. She did not wish to be disloyal to
Patches and her many Williamson Valley friends; nor did she like to
explain how Patches had played a part for the professor's benefit, for
she felt that by not exposing the deception she had, in a way, been a
party to it. So she said nothing, but seemed to be silently weighing
the value of her learned companion's observations. At least, it so
appeared to the professor, and in her ready acceptance of his implied
criticism of her conduct he found the encouragement he needed for that
which followed.

"You must understand, Miss Reid, that I have become exceedingly zealous
for your welfare. In these months that we have been so much together
your companionship--your spiritual and intellectual companionship, I
should say--has come to be very dear to me. As our souls have communed,
I have felt myself uplifted and inspired. I have been strengthened and
encouraged, as never before, to climb on toward the mountain peaks of
pure intellectuality. If I am not mistaken, you, too, have felt a degree
of uplift as a result of our fellowship, have you not?"

"Yes, indeed, Professor Parkhill," Kitty answered sincerely. "O