tank near the water-hole, became at first monotonous
and finally irritating. Sundown, clad in oil-spotted overalls that did
not by many inches conceal his riding-boots and his Spanish spurs,
puttered about the engine until he happened to glance at the distant
tank. A silvery rill of water was pouring from the top of the tank.
He shut off the engine, wiped his hands, and strode to the house.

He was gone a long time, so long in fact that Chance decided to
investigate. The dog got up, stretched lazily, and padded to the
doorway. He could hear Sundown muttering and shuffling about in the
bedroom. Chance stalked in quietly and stood gazing at his master.
Sundown had evidently been taking a bath,--not in the pail of water
that stood near him, but obviously round and about it. At the moment
he was engaged in tying a knot in the silk bandanna about his neck.
Chance became animated. His master was going somewhere! Sundown
turned his head, glancing at the dog with a preoccupied eye. The knot
adjusted to his satisfaction, he knelt and drew a large box from
beneath the bed. From the box he took an immaculate and exceedingly
wide-brimmed Stetson with an exceedingly high crown. He dented the
crown until the hat had that rakish appearance dear to the heart of the
cowboy. Then he took the foot-square looking-glass from the wall and
studied the effect at various and more or less unsatisfactory angles.
Again he knelt--after depositing the hat on the bed--and emerged with a
pair of gorgeous leather chaps that glittered with the polished silver
of conchas from waist-band to heel. Next he drew on a pair of
elaborate gauntlets embellished with hand-worked silk roses of crimson.
Then he glanced at his boots. They were undoubtedly serviceable, but
more or less muddy and stained. That wouldn't do at all! Striding to
the kitchen he poked about and finally unearthed a box of stove-polish
that he had purchased and laid away for future use against that happy
time when stove-polish would be doubly appreciated. The metallic
luster of his boots was not altogether satisfactory, but it would do.
"This here bein' chief engineer of a popcorn machine ain't what it's
said to be in the perspectus. Gets a fella lookin' greasy and feelin'
greasy, but the pay kind of makes up for it. Me first month's wages
blowed in for outside decoratin'--but I reckon the grub'll hold out for
a spell."

Then he strode from the house and made his rounds, i