is all
very well for you; you people can afford to play with money."

"How do you know we can?"

"Well, I've always heard so."

"And therefore it must be so." She switched the grass, looking down.
"Well, whether it is or not, we're born gamblers--the whole family.
Perhaps we can't help it. But sometimes--sometimes I wish it were
different. I wish the boys would work as you work; and--and that I were
a home girl with a nice big brother."

"You have enough big brothers," Angus told her. "I think myself it would
do them no harm to work, but it is none of my business. I did not mean
to seem curious about your affairs. Anyway, some day you will be
marrying and leaving them."

"Perhaps," she admitted. "The chief end of--woman! Oh, I suppose
so--some day. Well?"

"That's all. You will likely marry somebody with plenty of money, and
then you will go away."

"Do you mean that I shall marry for money?"

"No, but if your husband has it, it will be no drawback. Lots of these
young fellows who go to your ranch are well fixed--or will be when
somebody dies."

"How nicely you arrange my future. Which one of them am I to marry,
please?"

"Whichever one you love best."

"What on earth do you know about love, Angus Mackay?"

"Nothing at all. But that is why people get married, isn't it?"

"I think I have heard so," she said dryly. "Will that be why you will
marry--some day?"

"Why else?"

"Oh, Scotch! A question with a question! Would you marry for any other
reason?"

"I would not marry a girl because she had money," said Angus, "because
the money would not be worth the nuisance of her if I didn't love her."

Kathleen laughed at this frank statement, and went to find Jean. Angus'
reflections as to Kathleen were broken by the reappearance of Dorgan.

"What did I tell you?" said the little man. "I guess my dope was poor,
huh!"

"Your dope on what?"

"On what? On them fellers I was talkin' to yesterday. Now here's
French's sister comes on the scout. When I seen her she was sure gettin'
an eyeful of Chief."

"She was looking for my sister. She told me how it happened."

"I'll gamble she did," Dorgan returned skeptically, "and I s'pose you
fell for it, like young fellers do. When a crook can't get the real dope
any other way, he plants a woman. That skirt----"

"Go easy," Angus warned him. "That young lady is a friend of mine."

"She ain't a friend of mine, and I got my own idea of what she was here
for. If y