, though. They said they were
coming to-morrow, but would telegraph if they started sooner. We would
have to get Price's team and buckboard--and I'd be ashamed to ride
behind his horses, especially with my--my friend from the East."

"Boyar and this here buckskin colt would make a pretty fair team,"
ventured Collie, smiling to himself.

"To drive? Heavens, Collie, no! They've neither of them been in
harness."

"I was just imagining," said Collie.

"Of course!" exclaimed Louise, laughing. "I understand. Why, I must be
late. There's the train for the north just leaving the station. I
expected to be there in case the Marshalls did come to-day. But they
said they'd telegraph."

"I can see three folks on the platform," said Collie. "One is the
agent; see his cap shine? Then there's a man and a woman."

"If it's Anne, she'll never forgive me. She's so--formal about things.
It can't be the Marshalls, though."

"We can ride," suggested Collie. And the two ponies leaped forward. A
little trail of dust followed them across the valley.

At the station Louise found her guests, young Dr. Marshall and his wife;
also the telegram announcing the day they would arrive.

"I'm sorry," began Louise; but the Marshalls silenced her with hearty
"Oh, pshaws!" and "No matters!" with an incidental hug from Anne.

"Why, you have changed so, Anne!" exclaimed Louise. "What _have_ you
been doing? You used to be so terribly formal, and now you're actually
hugging me in public!"

"The 'public' has just departed, Miss Lacharme, with your pony, I
believe. He rides well--the tall dark chap that came with you."

"Oh, Collie. He's gone for the buckboard, of course. Stupid of me not to
drive down. We really didn't expect you until to-morrow, but you'll
forgive us all, won't you? You can see now how telegrams are handled at
these stations."

Anne Marshall, a brown-eyed, rather stately and pleasingly slender girl,
smiled and shook her head. "I don't know. I may, if you will promise to
introduce me to that fascinating young cowboy that rode away with your
horse. I used to dream of such men."

Young Dr. Marshall coughed. The girls laughed.

"Oh, Collie?" said Louise. "Of course, you will meet him. He's our
right-hand man. Uncle Walter says he couldn't get along without him and
Aunty Eleanor just thinks he is perfect."

"And Louise?" queried Anne Marshall.

"Same," said Louise non-committally. "I don't see why he took Boyar with
him to the