the valley. I just thought I'd take a little ride before
supper."

"Law, yes, some folks likes to ride hossback, but fer me, I'd a heap
ruther go in a jolt wagon. Beats all the dif'fence in folks. Seems
like the folks out yere jist take to hit nachel. Yo' be'n huntin' yo'
pa's location yet?"

"No, I've been getting things in shape around the cabin. I'm going to
start prospecting to-morrow." She glanced back along the valley, "I
suppose my father came along this way when he left his pack on his way
East," she said.

"No, mom," Watts rubbed his chin, reflectively. "Hit wus Vil Holland
brung in his pack. Seems like yo' pa wus in a right smart of a hurry
when he left, so Vil taken his pack down yere an' me an' the boys put
hit in the barn fer to keep hit saft. Then Vil he rud on down the
crick, hell bent fer 'lection----"

"Watts! Hain't yo' shamed a-cussin'?" cried his scandalized spouse.

"Why was he in such a hurry?" asked the girl.

"I dunno. He jes' turned the mewl loost an' says to keep the pack till
yo' pa come back, an' larruped off."

Patty rose from the chair and gathered up her bridle reins. "I must be
going, really. You see, I've got my chores to do, and supper to get,
and I want to go to bed early so I'll be fresh in the morning." She
mounted, and turned to Ma Watts: "Can't you come up some day and bring
the children? I'd love to have you. Let's arrange the day now, so I
will be sure to be home."

"Lawzie, I'd give a purty! Listen at thet, now, Watts. Cain't we fix
to go?"

Watts fumbled his beard: "Why, yas, I reckon, some day, mebbe."

"What day can you come?" asked Patty.

"Well, le's see, this yere's about a Tuesday." He paused, glanced up
at the sky, and gave careful scrutiny to the horizon. "How'd Sunday a
week suit yo'--ef hit don't rain?"

"Fine," agreed the girl, smiling. "And, by the way, I came down past
the upper pasture. The fence looks grand. It didn't take long to fix
it, did it?"

"Well, hit tuk quite a spell--all day yeste'day, an' up 'til noon
to-day. We only got one side an' halft another done, an' they's two
sides an' a halft yet. But Mr. Bethune came by this noon, him an'
Lord, an' 'lowed he worn't in no gret hurry fer hit, causen he heerd
from Schultz thet the hoss business 'ud haf to wait over a spell----"

"An' Lord, he come down an' boughten a lot of aigs offen me. Him an'
Mr. Bethune is both got manners."

"Women folks likes 'em better'n what men does, seems like,"