e section-boss grunted.

"_Lovely_ day," observed the other, with a bland smile. He changed his
tack a little, as if he were going by.

Lancaster hobbled along with him. "Y-a-a-s," he drawled. "Right good.
Some cool."

The stranger agreed by another series of swinging bows. "You got a nice
place here--nice place," he continued affably. He loosened one thumb
with a jerk.

"Nice 'nough."

The man halted in front of the shack and looked it over. "You're a
Southern gentleman," said he, "by your talk."

"Ah am." Lancaster spoke with unfriendly rising inflection.

"Well, well." A hand was extended--a fat hand, where sparkled a diamond.
"Say, now, this is lovely, lovely. I'm a Southerner myself, sir. Put it
there!"

The section-boss hesitated. So far, Dakota had offered him no
compatriot. He could scarce believe that one stood before him now. A
second, then he gave a pleased grin. "Howdy," he said. "Hope y' goin' t'
settle hereabout."

They shook heartily.

"Settle due east of you, sir," was the answer. "My name's Braden--_Al_
Braden. I'm from Sioux Falls."

"Won't y' come in?"

"Tickled t' death!"

They entered the shack, Lancaster leading. Dallas and Marylyn glanced up
in surprise from the fireplace, and arose hastily.

"M' gals," said the section-boss, motioning their visitor to a bench.

Braden took it, with more swinging bows, and a sweep of his floppy
headgear. "Glad t' meet you," he smiled, "Miss-a-a-a-Miss----"

"Lancaster's they name," prompted the section-boss, all good nature.

"--Lancaster. Glad t' meet you both."

Dallas nodded, and drew her sister away to the wagon-seat in the corner.

"Jes' fr'm th' Falls, Ah think y' said," began their father, hunting his
tobacco plug along the mantel.

"Yep."

"Um. Any--any news fr'm down thet way 'bout this part o' th' country?"

Braden fell to admiring his ring. "No, sir, no. Didn't hear nothin'
particular."

The section-boss fidgeted. "S'pose y' know they's some talk 'bout a
railroad comin' this way," he said carelessly.

"Don't go much on that talk. Ten years, twenty years--maybe. Too early
yet."

Lancaster's face lengthened. He blinked in dismay.

"My idea," went on Braden, "is cows. Goin' t' be a lot of money in 'em,
sure as you're alive. Hear Clark's made a good thing of his'n."

"Cows!" said Lancaster, in disgust. "Cows don' help a country; don'
raise th' price o' lan'."

"Cows or no cows, your place here's worth a nice little sum,