ecktie," Denver hastily amended. "They'll be along right soon, I
shouldn't wonder."

"Y'u better go tell the boys Miss Nora don't want her kitchen littered
up with so many of them," suggested his rival.

"Y'u're foreman here. I don't aim to butt into your business, Mac,"
grinned back the other, polishing a tea plate with the towel.

"I want to get some table linen over to Lee Ming to-night," said Nora,
presently.

"Denver, he'll be glad to take it for y'u, Miss Nora. He's real
obliging," offered Mac, generously.

"I've been in the house all day, so I need a walk. I thought perhaps one
of you gentlemen--" Miss Nora looked from one to the other of them with
deep innocence.

"Sure, I'll go along and carry it. Just as Mac says, I'll be real
pleased to go," said Denver, hastily.

Mac felt he had been a trifle precipitate in his assumption that Nora
did not intend to go herself. Lee Ming had established a laundry
some half mile from the ranch, and the way thereto lay through most
picturesque shadow and moonlight. The foreman had conscientious scruples
against letting Denver escort her down such a veritable lovers' lane of
romantic scenery.

"I don't know as y'u ought to go out in the night air with that cold,
Denver. I'd hate a heap to have y'u catch pneumony. It don't seem to me
I'd be justified in allowin' y'u to," said the foreman, anxiously.

"You're THAT thoughtful, Mac. But I expect mebbe a little saunter with
Miss Nora will do my throat good. We'll walk real slow, so's not to wear
out my strength."

"Big, husky fellows like y'u are awful likely to drop off with pneumony.
I been thinkin' I got some awful good medicine that would be the right
stuff for y'u. It's in the drawer of my wash-stand. Help yourself
liberal and it will surely do y'u good. Y'u'll find it in a bottle."

"I'll bet it's good medicine, Mac. After we get home I'll drop around.
In the washstand, y'u said?"

"I hate to have y'u take such a risk," Mac tried again. "There ain't a
bit of use in y'u exposing yourself so careless. Y'u take a hot footbath
and some of that medicine, Denver, then go right straight to bed, and in
the mo'ning y'u'll be good as new. Honest, y'u won't know yourself."

"Y'u got the best heart, Mac." Nora giggled.

"Since I'm foreman I got to be a mother to y'u boys, ain't I?"

"Y'u're liable to be a grandmother to us if y'u keep on," came back the
young giant.

"Y'u plumb discourage me, Denver," sighed the foreman