a very
attractive reason why he should.

Without further word they turned and walked down the street, Doris
wondering what in the world had induced Pete to immerse himself in
Frangipanni, and Pete wondering if there was ever a prettier girl in
the world than Doris Gray.

And because Pete wanted to talk about something entirely impersonal, he
at once began to ask her what she thought of his latest plan, which was
to purchase an interest in the Concho, spend his summers working with
the men and his winters in Tucson, studying with Forbes about whom he
had written to her.

Doris thought it was a splendid plan. She was sure--quite
impersonally--that he would make a success of anything he attempted.

Pete was not so sure, and he told her so. She joked him for doubting
himself. He promptly told her that he didn't doubt himself for a
minute, but that he did doubt the willingness of the person whom he
hoped to make a partner in the venture.

"Not Mr. Forbes?" she queried, glancing quickly at Pete's serious face.

"Nope. It's you."

They walked another block without speaking; then they walked still
another. And they had begun to walk still another when Pete suddenly
pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and threw it in the gutter.
"That doggone perfume is chokin' me to death!" he blurted. And Doris,
despite herself, smiled.

They were out where the streets were more open and quiet now. The sun
was close to the edge of the desert, far in the west. Doris's hand
trembled just the least bit as she turned to say "good-night." They
had stopped in front of a house, near the edge of town. Pete's face
was a bit pale; his dark eyes were intense and gloomy.

Quite unconscious of what he was doing, he pulled out his watch--a new
watch that possessed no erratic tendencies. Suddenly Doris thought of
Pete's old watch, and of little Ruth's extreme delight in its
irresponsible hands whirling madly around, and of that night when Pete
had been brought to the hospital. Suddenly there were two tears
trembling on her lashes, and her hand faltered. Then, being a sensible
person, she laughed away her emotion, for the time being, and invited
Pete in to supper.

Pete thought Doris's sister a mighty nice girl, plumb sensible and not
a bit stuck up. And later, when this "plumb sensible" person declared
that she was rather tired and excused herself and disappeared, after
bidding Pete good-night, he knew that she was a sensible p