ld give anything to know how
such things can be."

"How much would you give?" inquired Steve.

For a moment, the spirit of this question hung in the balance. He felt
the spell of her inquiring eyes as her hand dropped idly on Shep's back.

"Why--do you know?" she asked doubtfully.

"I think I do," he answered. "You see, that kind of plants have very
long roots; they run away out. You stepped on their toes."

"Well, I declare," said Janet, enthusiastic again. "And what a way of
saying it."

"It looks simple enough, does n't it?" he remarked.

"And I never thought of it. Why, it was enough to make a person
superstitious. Isn't nature wonderful!"

As she took up the coffee, too long neglected, Steve got an imaginary
taste of it, and finding it neither hot nor cold, he arose and took her
cup. Having refilled it and offered her more of the beans, which to
his surprise and gratification she accepted, he made another trip to
the corral. In a little while he returned and promptly took his place.

"You were saying this morning," he began, "that you were going to the
county-seat. Were you sure that you could find your way all alone?"

"Oh, yes," answered Janet. "I was there before. You see, I took an
examination a couple of months ago, when I first came."

"Oh; that's it. What sort of a certificate did that
little--examiner--give you?"

There was something in the sound of this question which conveyed to her
that he regarded her standing in an examination largely as a matter of
luck. Janet felt an instant approval of this philosophy of the matter.

"Third-class," she answered.

"Well, that's better than fourth-class," he remarked.

"Oh--but there _is_ no fourth-class," exclaimed Janet.

Her eyes widened as she waited to hear what his reply to this might be.

He entirely ignored the matter.

"That examiner is a kind of a cocky little rooster, is n't he?" he
commented.

"Did you ever have any trouble with him?" inquired Janet.

"Me!" He was evidently surprised that she should think so. "Why, no.
I don't know him. I just saw him a few times. He is a sort of a
dried-up little party. You know I get up to the court-house once in a
while to have a brand registered or something like that."

"He _is_ rather important--for his size," mused Janet. "And very
particular about his looks."

"They have a man teacher at a school near my house," remarked Steve, in
no seeming connection.

"I suppose he