ead it all," said he. "You don't know yet the poor
opinion she has of me."

Louise crumpled the letter in her hand and cast it into the flames.

"Nor do I want to know it," she exclaimed. "All I care about is my own
opinion of you, and our love. That's enough. Perhaps we shall be all
the happier for the little misery she caused us."

Her eyes dwelt proudly upon him, upon his face that showed new lines
of strength, that was clear and calm, that revealed a spirit come to
full manhood, that was luminous with the love she inspired. He had
taken her hands and was regarding her tenderly.

"Ruth rendered me one service," said he. "She taught me that there's
an appearance which may be mistaken for the substance. That shall be
to her credit." He sat silent, smiling thoughtfully for a moment. Then
he raised his eyes and drew Louise toward him. "But you, Louise, awoke
real love."

His arms enclosed her fast and their lips met in a first kiss.

"We shall walk among the flowers and in the orchard again, Lee dear,"
she murmured, "as we did once before. And I shall bring you buttermilk
as I did that morning--but there will be no Charlie Menocal."

"No. Charlie won't annoy us in the future."

"And when the snow is gone we'll ride along your canal----"

"Our canal now, sweetheart."

"Along our canal and see where you worked so hard and struggled and
won, and I'll listen while you point here and there and tell of the
obstacles overcome, and of all you did. We shall be gay and happy."

"As I'm happy now," he said, softly. "Do you know what I see there in
the firelight? A building, a house--our home."

Louise's face lifted to his, all sweetness and trust.

"I see it, too," she murmured.

"On Perro Creek ranch," Lee continued, "with the sagebrush gone and in
its place fields of grain and alfalfa spreading out to the horizon,
with water rippling along in little canals and fat cows standing
about, and contented farmers at work, and perhaps a railroad somewhere
in the background, and ourselves in the foreground by our new home,
where flowers are growing, too, and--and----"

Louise's arms slipped up and about his neck, until her cheek rested
against his.

"You dream and then you build--you dream and make your dreams come
true," she said. "You're my dreamer-builder."

Lee was smiling. The caress in her words, the warm touch of her cheek,
her heart beating against his, all made his happiness complete.

"And your lover," he w