ou? And it isn't conceit, but a deep-seated
certainty you can't get away from."

He had her fairly. "Then you DID read the letter."

"Yes, sir, I read it--and for sheer, unmatched impudence I have never
seen its like."

"Now, I wish you would tell me what you REALLY think," he drawled.

Not being able, for reasons equestrian, to stamp her foot, she gave her
bronco the spur.

When Collins again found conversation practicable, the Rocking Chair, a
white adobe huddle in the moonlight, lay peacefully beneath them in the
alley.

"It's a right quaint old ranch, and it's seen a heap of rough-and-tumble
life in its day. If those old adobe bricks could tell stories, I expect
they could put some of these romances out of business." Miss Mackenzie's
covert glance questioned suspiciously what this diversion might mean.

"All this country's interesting. Take Tucson now that burg is loaded to
the roofs with live stories. It's an all-right business town, too--the
best in the territory," he continued patriotically. "She ain't so great
as Douglas on ore or as Phoenix on lungers, but when it comes, to the
git-up-and-git hustle, she's there rounding up the trade from early morn
till dine."

He was still expatiating in a monologue with grave enthusiasm on the
town of his choice, when they came to the pasture fence of the ranch.

"Some folks don't like it--call it adobe-town, and say it's full of
greasers. Everybody to his taste, I say. Little old Tucson is good
enough for me."

She gave a queer little laugh as he talked. She had put a taboo on his
love story herself, but she resented the perfectly unmoved good humor
with which he seemed to be accepting her verdict. She made up her mind
to punish him, but he gave her no chance. As he helped her to dismount,
he said:

"I'll take the horses round to the stable, Miss Mackenzie. Probably I
won't see you again before I leave, but I'm hoping to meet you again in
Tucson one of these days. Good-by."

She nodded a curt good-by and passed into the house. She was vexed and
indignant, but had too strong a sense of humor not to enjoy a joke even
when it was against herself.

"I forgot to ask him whether he loves me or Tucson more, and as one of
the subjects seems to be closed I'll probably never find out," she told
herself, but with a queer little tug of pain in her laughter.

Next moment she was in the arms of her father.

CHAPTER 20. BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY

To minimize the risk,