ndown. "It ain't my fault, neither. I had
nothin' to say about it when they hitched that name onto me. I reckon
I hollered, but it didn't do no good. Me pals"--and Sundown shrugged
his shoulder--"mostly gents travelin' for their health--got to callin'
me Sundown, which is more poetical. 'Course, when I got married--"

"Married!" exclaimed Corliss, grinning.

"You needn't to grin, Billy. Gettin' married's mighty
responsible-like."

Corliss made a gesture of apology. "So you're homesteading the
water-hole? Jack wrote to me about it. He didn't say anything about
your getting married."

"Kind of like his not sayin' anything about your gettin' hitched up,
eh? He said he was hearin' from you, but nothin' about Misses Corliss.
Please to expect my congratulations, ma'am--and you, too, Billy."

"Thank you!" said Mrs. Corliss, smiling. "Will has told me a great
deal about you."

"He has, eh? Well, I'm right glad to be acquainted by heresy. It kind
of puts you on to what to expect. But say, it's hot here. If you'll
drive back to me house, I'd sure like to show you the improvements."

"All right, Sun! We'll drive right in and wait for you."

They did not have to wait, however. Sundown, leaving his team at the
fence, took a short cut to the house. He entered the back door and
called to Anita.

"Neeter," he said, as she hastened to answer him, "they's some friends
of mine just drivin' up. If you could kind of make a quick change and
put on that white dress with the leetle roses sprinkled on it--quick;
and is--is he sleepin'?"

"Si! He is having the good sleep."

"Fine! I'll hold 'em off till you get fixed up. It's me ole pal,
Billy Corliss,--and he's brung along a wife. We got to make a good
front, seein' it's kind of unexpected. Wrastle into that purty dress
and don't wake him up."

"Si! I go queek."

"Why, this is fine!" said Corliss, entering, hat in hand, and gazing
about the room. "It's as snug and picturesque as a lodge."

"Beautiful!" exclaimed the enthusiastic Margery, gazing at the Navajo
rugs, the clean, white-washed walls against which the red ollas, filled
with wild flowers, made a pretty picture, and the great grizzly-bear
rug thrown across a home-made couch. "It's actually romantic!"

"Me long suit, lady. We ain't got much, but what we got goes with this
kind of country."

Margery smiled. "Oh, Will, I'd like a home like this. Just simple and
clean--and comfortable. I