istaken, Daddy, really," interposed his daughter. "She
and Mr. Blake were wrecked in Africa and lived on roast leopards.
We'll have to feed them on mountain lions and bobcats."

"If you mean that, Miss Chuckie," put in Gowan, "I can get a bobcat in
time for dinner tomorrow."

The girl led the general outburst of laughter over this serious
proposal. "Oh! oh! Kid! You'll be the death of me!--Yet I sent you a
joke-book last Christmas!"

"Couldn't see anything funny in it," replied the puncher. "I haven't
lost it, though. It came from you."

To cover the girl's blush at this blunt disclosure of sentiment, Mrs.
Blake somewhat formally introduced her husband to the puncher. He
shook Blake's hand with like formality and politeness. But as their
glances met, his gray eyes shone with the same cold suspicion with
which he had regarded Ashton at their first meeting. Before that look
the engineer's friendly eyes hardened to disks of burnished steel,
and his big fist released its cordial grip of the other's small, bony
hand. He gave back hostility for hostility with the readiness of a
born fighter. Gowan was the first to look away.

The incident passed so swiftly that only Knowles observed the outflash
of enmity. His words indicated that he had anticipated the puncher's
attitude. He addressed Blake seriously: "Kid has been with us ever
since he was a youngster and has always made my interests his own.
Chuckie has been telling us what you said about putting through any
project you once started."

Blake nodded. "Yes. That is why I suggested to Miss Knowles that she
call off the agreement under which I came on this visit. We shall
gladly pay board, and I'll merely knock around; or, if you prefer,
we'll leave you and go back tomorrow morning."

"No, Daddy, no! we can't allow our guests to leave, when they've only
just come!" protested Isobel.

"As for any talk about board," added her father, "you ought to know
better, Mr. Blake."

"My apology!" admitted Blake. "I've been living in the East."

"That explains," agreed the cowman. "Even as far east as Denver--I've
got a sister there; lives up beyond the Capitol. But I've talked with
other men there from over this way. They all agree you might as well
look for good cow pasture behind a sheep drive as for hospitality in a
city. Sometimes you can get what you want, and all times you're sure
to get a lot of attention you don't want--if you have money to
spend."

"That's true. Bu