he boys take the pony over to him the first thing in
the morning," he said.

Sheila smiled sweetly. "Please don't bother," she said. "I wouldn't think
of allowing one of the men to take the pony back. Perhaps I shall decide
to ride over that way myself. I should not care to have you meet Dakota if
you are afraid of him."

Her rippling laugh caused the red in Duncan's face to deepen, but she gave
him no time to reply, for directly she had spoken she turned and walked
toward the ranchhouse. Both Duncan and Langford watched her until she had
vanished, and then Langford turned to Duncan.

"What on earth have you done to her?" he questioned.

But Duncan was savagely pulling the saddle from Dakota's pony and did not
answer.

Sheila really had no expectation of prevailing upon Duncan to return
Dakota's horse, and had she anticipated that the manager would accept her
challenge she would not have given it, for after thinking over the
incident of her rescue she had come to the conclusion that she had not
treated Dakota fairly, and by personally taking his horse to him she would
have an opportunity to proffer her tardy thanks for his service. She did
not revert to the subject of the animal's return during the evening meal,
however, nor after it when she and her father and Duncan sat on the
gallery of the ranchhouse enjoying the cool of the night breezes.

After breakfast on the following morning she was standing near the
windmill, watching the long arms travel lazily in their wide circles, when
she saw Duncan riding away from the ranchhouse, leading Dakota's pony. She
started toward the corral gates, intending to call to him to return, but
thought better of the impulse and hailed him tauntingly instead:

"Please tell him to accept my thanks," she said, and Duncan turned his
head, bowed mockingly, and continued on his way.

Half an hour after the departure of Duncan Sheila pressed a loafing
puncher into service and directed him to rope a gentle pony for her. After
the puncher had secured a suitable appearing animal and had placed a
saddle and bridle on it, she compelled him to ride it several times around
the confines of the pasture to make certain that it would not "buck." Then
she mounted and rode up the river.

Duncan was not particularly pleased over his errand, and many times while
he rode the trail toward Dakota's cabin his lips moved from his teeth in a
snarl. Following the incident of the theft of the calves by Bla