down in
Kentucky?"

An explanation was demanded of him, and he proceeded to invent one.
"Well, first you get a--get a--" Polly had fooled him so many times
that he became suspicious in the midst of his creation, and asked:

"Look a here--you're sure you don't know what boudoir is?"

"Why, of course not," answered Polly simply.

Slim was relieved by her reply.

"All right," he resumed, crossing his legs, as if the position would
help him better to think. "A boudoir is a see-gar."

"A see-gar?" echoed Polly, distinctly disappointed. Bud's offer to
duplicate the boudoir was now reduced to the proportions of "two fer a
nickel."

"Yep," assured the Sheriff. "They are named after a Roosian--one of
them diplomat fellers."

"What's a diplomat?" Polly was finding Slim a mine of information, but
all of the sort that needed plenty of expansion.

Slim chuckled, and with a twinkle in his eye drawled: "A diplomat is a
man that steals your hat and coat, and then explains it so well that
you give him your watch and chain. Sabe?"

Polly did not understand. She felt that Slim was laughing at her, but
she could not see any fun in his remark. To end the discussion,
however, she said: "I sabe."

Polly sauntered away from the wagon. As she passed Slim, he tried to
put his arm about her waist. She skilfully evaded him. The Sheriff
joined her in the shade of cottonwood. "You know I've been thinking a
lot of you lately, Miss Polly?"

"Only lately?" she asked mischievously.

"Well, yes--that is--"

This conversation was becoming too personal for Bud, who in an effort
to hear all Slim had to say moved incautiously in the wagon. Slim
heard him.

"Who's in that wagon?" he cried, moving toward it. "Show Low asleep?"

"No. Buddy," said Polly, thinking she might as well confess the
deception first as last, and using the childish nickname of her lover
in order to soften Slim's anger against him.

"Nobody," repeated Slim, not fully convinced that he was mistaken, but
stopping in deference to Polly's apparent denial.

"Who do you s'pose," asked Polly pertly, taking courage when she found
that Slim did not continue his investigation. "You ain't after any
Buddy, are you?"

"No, but I'll just take a look in here, 'cause I got somethin'
particular to say to you, Miss Polly, an' I don't want no listeners."
And he moved forward again.

At this juncture Polly began to ply her arts as a coquette. Looking
shyly at Slim, sh