hy smells of nature."

A merry twinkle appeared in Rose's eyes. "Aren't roses out there"--and
her gesture was in the same direction--"rather apt to be crowded down by
the weeds?"

"Not if there was a good strong man about--a man who wanted to cultivate
the soil and give the rose a pretty place in which to bloom."

"Why, Martin," Rose laughed lightly, "the way you're fixed out there
with that shack, the only thing that ever blooms is a fine crop of
rag-weeds."

At this gratuitous thrust a flood of crimson surged up Martin's
magnificent, column-like throat and broke in hot waves over his cheeks.
"Well, it's not going to be that way for long," he announced evenly.
"I'm going to plant a rose--a real rose there soon and everything is
going to be right--garden, house and all."

"Is this your way of telling me you're going to be married?"

"Kinda. The only trouble is, I haven't got my rose yet."

"Well, if I can't have that item, at least I can print something about
the selling of your coal rights. People will be interested because it
shows the operators are coming in our direction. Here in Fallon, we can
hardly realize all that this sudden new promotion may mean. From that
conversation I heard at the bank I guess you got the regulation hundred
an acre."

"Yes, and a good part of it is going into a first-class modern house
with a heating plant and running hot and cold water in a tiled-floor
bath-room, and a concrete cellar for the woman's preserved things and
built-in cupboards, lots of closets, a big garret, and hardwood floors
and fancy paper on the walls, and the prettiest polished golden oak
furniture you can buy in Kansas City, not to mention a big fireplace
and wide, sunny porches. A rose ought to be happy in a garden like that,
don't you think? Folks'll say I've gone crazy when they see my building
spree, but I know what I'm about. It's time I married and the woman who
decides to be my wife is going to be glad to stay with me--"

"See here, Martin Wade, what ARE you driving at? What does all this talk
mean anyway? Do you want me to give you a boost with someone?"

"You've hit it."

"Who is she?" Rose asked, with genuine curiosity.

"You," he said bluntly.

"Well, of all the proposals!"

"There's nothing to beat around the bush about. I'm only thirty-four, a
hard worker, with a tidy sum to boot--not that I'm boasting about it."

"But, Martin, what makes you think I could make you happy?"

Martin felt