understandingly but did not take her eyes from the clock.
"There it goes, that nasty little minute hand! I'm sorry I ever learned
to tell time."

"Say good night to Roger, Felicia, and run off to bed. There's a dear."

Felicia rose obediently, put her arms around Roger's neck and kissed
him. "I don't like a man's kiss, when it tastes of tobacco," she said,
"but I suppose I might as well get used to it for when we're married,
Roger."

"I'm sorry," said Roger, meekly. "I'll give up smoking if you really
want me to."

Felicia giggled, picked up her doll, then turned to look at the clock.
It pointed to one minute after eight. She put out her tongue at her
enemy, then dragged slowly into the bedroom which she shared with
Charley, and shut the door.

Roger and Charley smiled at each other. "Were you a chatterbox, too, at
her age?" he asked. "I can't remember that you were."

"Dick says I was."

"But you're very silent for a girl. What has changed you?"

Charley laughed, then answered soberly: "The desert."

They both sat looking at the fire after this. The silence had lasted
some time when Charley said thoughtfully: "And so a big dream will
materialize in our valley after all. I can't tell you how glad I am."

"Why?" asked Roger, with interest. "Did Dick come out here with a big
dream?"

"Yes, we were going to make the desert blossom like the rose. We were
going to have the biggest alfalfa ranch in the southwest."

"Well, you've got a good start, haven't you?"

Charley shook her head and lapsed into silence again. Roger refilled his
pipe and replenished the fire. The flames leaped up and turned the gray
Navajo to rose color. The night wind which Roger had learned to expect
about nine o'clock swooped down the chimney. The faint bark and long
drawn howl of a coyote pack sounded from the valley and from behind the
adobe rose a whimper that increased to a scream that was almost human.
Roger sat forward in his chair.

"Wild cats!" said Charley. "Dick and I both have shot several but we
can't get rid of them."

"Look here," exclaimed Roger. "I'm going to stay here all night."

"What's the matter? Afraid to go home?"

Roger grinned. "Yes, but I'm more afraid to leave you two girls here
alone."

"My good man, I've been staying here alone about every two months for
four years. I'm not a bit afraid."

Roger looked at her keenly, but her deep eyes did not waver. "You may
have got used to it," he said obstinatel