Dud says you an' he are going to
take up preemptions and run cattle of your own," she began.

"Yes. Harshaw's going to stake us. We'll divide the increase."

"I'm glad. Dud ought to quit going rippity-cut every which way. No use
his wastin' five or six years before he gets started for himself."

"No," Bob assented.

"You're steadier than he is. You'll hold him down."

Bob came to time loyally. "Dud's all right. You'll find him there like a
rock when you need him. Best fellow in all this White River country."

Her shining eyes sent a stab of pain through his heart. She was smiling
at him queerly. "One of the best," she said.

"Stay with you to a fare-you-well," he went on. "If I knew a girl--if I
had a sister--well, I'd sure trust her to Dud Hollister. All wool an' a
yard wide that boy is."

"Yes," June murmured.

"Game as they make 'em. Know where he's at every turn of the road. I'd
ce'tainly back his play to a finish."

"I know you would."

"Best old pal a fellow ever had."

"It's really a pity you haven't a sister," she teased.

Bob guessed that June had brought him here to talk about Dud. He did, to
the exclusion of all other topics. The girl listened gravely and
patiently, but imps of mischief were kicking up their heels in her eyes.

"You give him a good recommendation," she said at last. "How about his
friend?"

"Tom Reeves?"

"No, Bob Dillon." Her dark eyes met his fairly. "Oh, Bob, I'm _so_
glad."

He was suddenly flooded with self-consciousness. "About us preemptin'?"
he asked.

"No. About you being the hero of the campaign."

The ranger was miserably happy. He was ashamed to have the thing he had
done dragged into the light, embarrassed to hear her use so casually a
word that made him acutely uncomfortable. Yet he would not for the world
have missed the queer little thrills that raced through him.

"That's plumb foolishness," he said.

"Yes, it is--not. Think I haven't heard all about it? How you dragged
Jake Houck into the willows right spang from among the Utes? How you went
to the river an' got him water? How you went for help when everybody
thought you'd be killed? An' how you shamed Dud into going back with you?
I made Mr. Harshaw tell me all he knew--and Dud too. He said--Mr. Harshaw
said--"

Bob interrupted this eager attack. "I'll tell you how it was, June. When
I saw Houck lying out there with a busted leg I didn't know who he
was--thought maybe it was Dud. So I had to go