id, "and then beat it back East when
they found it didn't rain 'cordin' ter schedule. This land ain't good
for nothin' 'cept cows."

But this had been in the days of the old unfenced ranges, and before
dry-farming had become a science. Now the few remaining cattlemen kept
their pastures fenced, and began to think of raising other feed than
river-bottom hay.

The cohorts of agriculturists were advancing; the cattlemen were falling
back. The ancient staked plains of the Spanish _conquestadors_ were
likely to become waving wheat fields and smiling orchards.

The young girl and her companion could not travel fast to the Bar-T
ranch-house for two reasons: Pratt Sanderson was sore all over, and the
mountain lion slung across Frances' pony caused some trouble. The pinto
objected to carrying double--especially when an occasional draft of
evening air brought the smell of the lion to her nostrils.

The young fellow admired the way in which the girl handled her mount. He
had seen many half-wild horsemen at the Amarillo street fairs, and the
like; since coming to Bill Edwards' place he had occasionally observed a
good rider handling a mean cayuse. But this man-handling of a half-wild
pony was nothing like the graceful control Frances of the ranges had
over Molly. The pinto danced and whirled and snorted, and once almost
got her quivering nose down between her knees--the first position of the
bucking horse.

At every point Frances met her mount with a stern word, or a firm rein,
or a touch of the spur or quirt, which quickly took the pinto's mind off
her intention of "acting up."

"You are wonderful!" exclaimed the youth, excitedly. "I wish I could
ride half as good as you do, Miss Frances."

Frances smiled. "You did not begin young enough," she said. "My father
took me in his arms when I was a week old and rode a half-wild mustang
twenty miles across the ranges to exhibit me to the man who was our
next-door neighbor in those days. You see, my tuition began early."

It was not yet fully dark, although the ranch-house lamps were lit, when
they came to the home corral and the big fenced yard in front of the
Bar-T.

Two boys ran out to take the ponies. One of these Frances instructed to
saddle a fresh pony and ride to the Edwards place with word that Pratt
Sanderson would remain all night at the Bar-T.

The other boy was instructed to give the mountain lion to one of the
men, that the pelt might be removed and properly stre