came in alone. He had bagged several jacks. Altogether
Silent Sam and the Mexican had destroyed more than a score of the pests,
and the dogs had torn to pieces two or three beside. The canines were
satiated with the meat, and were glad to lie down, panting, and watch
the preparations for luncheon.

"I have not seen Miss Frances since she caught the antelope," Pratt
declared.

Sue began to laugh--but it wasn't a nice laugh at all. "Guess she got
mad and went home. You, letting that animal go the way you did! I never
heard of such a foolish thing!"

Pratt said nothing. He sat down on the other side of the fire from the
girl from Boston. He took it for granted that Frances _had_ gone
home.

For, remembering as he did, that Frances was a range girl, and had lived
out-of-doors and undoubtedly among rough men, a good part of her life,
the young fellow thought that, very probably, Frances had been utterly
disgusted with him when he showed so much tenderness for the innocent
little antelope.

Since that moment of weakness he had been telling himself:

"She thinks me a softy. I am. What kind of a hunter did I show myself to
be? Pooh! she must be disgusted with my weakness."

Nevertheless, he would have done the same thing over again. It was his
nature not to wish to see dumb creatures in pain, or to inflict pain on
them himself.

Killing the jack-rabbits was a necessity as well as a sport. Even
chasing a poor, unfortunate little fox, as Sue had done in the East,
might be made to seem a commendable act, for the foxes, when numerous,
are a nuisance around the poultry runs.

But by no possible reasoning could Pratt have ever excused his killing
of the pretty, innocent antelope. They did not need it for food, and it
was one of the most harmless creatures in the world.

To tell the truth, Pratt was glad Frances was not present at the
luncheon. He cared a good deal less about Sue's saucy tongue than he did
for the range girl's opinion of him.

During these weeks that he had known Frances Rugley, he had come to see
that hers was a most vigorous and interesting character. Pratt was a
thoughtful young man. There was nothing foolish about his interest in
Frances, but he _did_ crave her friendship and liking.

Some of the other men rallied him on his sudden silence, and this gave
Sue Latrop an opportunity to say more sarcastic things.

"He misses that 'cattle queen,'" she giggled, but was careful that Mrs.
Edwards did not