you've said
about her."

Curly grew enthusiastic, "Ain't she the dandiest girl ever? She's the
right kind of a friend. And pretty--with that short crinkly hair the color
of ripe nuts! You would not think one person could own so many dimples as
she does when she laughs. It's just like as if she had absorbed sunshine
and was warming you up with her smile."

"I see she has made a friend of you."

"You bet she has."

Miss Cullison shot a swift slant glance at him. "If you'll come back this
afternoon you can meet her. I'm going to have all those dimples and all
that sunshine here in the box with me."

"Maybe that will draw Sam to you."

"I'm hoping it will. But I'm afraid not. He avoids us. When they met he
wouldn't speak to Father."

"That's the boy of it. Just the same he feels pretty bad about the
quarrel. I reckon there's nothing to do but keep an eye on him and be
ready for Soapy's move when he makes it."

"I'm so afraid something will happen to Sam."

"Now don't you worry, Miss Kate. Sam is going to come out of this all
right. We'll find a way out for him yet."

Behind her smile the tears lay close. "You're the _best_ friend. How can
we ever thank you for what you're doing for Sam?"

A steer had escaped from the corral and was galloping down the track in
front of the grandstand with its tail up. The young man's eyes followed
the animal absently as he answered in a low voice.

"Do you reckon I have forgot how a girl took a rope from my neck one
night? Do you reckon I ever forget that?"

"It was nothing. I just spoke to the boys."

"Or that I don't remember how the man I had shot went bail for a rustler
he did not know?"

"Dick knew you. He told us about you."

"Could he tell you any good about me? Could he say anything except that I
was a worthless no-'count----?"

She put her hand on his arm and stopped him. "Don't! I won't have you say
such things about yourself. You were just a boy in trouble."

"How many would have remembered that? But you did. You fought good for my
life that night. I'll pay my debt, part of it. The whole I never could
pay."

His voice trembled in spite of the best he could do. Their eyes did not
meet, but each felt the thrill of joy waves surging through their veins.

The preliminaries in the rough riding contest took place that afternoon.
Of the four who won the right to compete in the finals, two were Curly
Flandrau and Dick Maloney. They went together to the Cullison b