to fare for itself, and then brand it.
They make imperfect brands and finish them at a later time.

"We have our big round-up in the fall, when there's plenty of grass and
water, and all the riding-stock as well as the cattle are in fine shape.
The cattlemen in the valley meet with their cowboys and drive in all the
cattle they can find. Then they brand and cut out each man's herd
and drive it toward home. Then they go on up or down the valley, make
another camp, and drive in more cattle. It takes weeks. There are
so many Greasers with little bands of stock, and they are crafty and
greedy. Bill says he knows Greaser cowboys, vaqueros, who never owned
a steer or a cow, and now they've got growing herds. The same might be
said of more than one white cowboy. But there's not as much of that as
there used to be."

"And the horses? I want to know about them," said Madeline, when
Florence paused.

"Oh, the cow-ponies! Well, they sure are interesting. Broncos, the boys
call them. Wild! they're wilder than the steers they have to chase.
Bill's got broncos heah that never have been broken and never will be.
And not every boy can ride them, either. The vaqueros have the finest
horses. Don Carlos has a black that I'd give anything to own. And he
has other fine stock. Gene Stewart's big roan is a Mexican horse, the
swiftest and proudest I ever saw. I was up on him once and--oh, he can
run! He likes a woman, too, and that's sure something I want in a horse.
I heard Al and Bill talking at breakfast about a horse for you. They
were wrangling. Bill wanted you to have one, and Al another. It was
funny to hear them. Finally they left the choice to me, until the
round-up is over. Then I suppose every cowboy on the range will offer
you his best mount. Come, let's go out to the corrals and look over the
few horses left."

For Madeline the morning hours flew by, with a goodly part of the time
spent on the porch gazing out over that ever-changing vista. At noon
a teamster drove up with her trunks. Then while Florence helped the
Mexican woman get lunch Madeline unpacked part of her effects and got
out things for which she would have immediate need. After lunch she
changed her dress for a riding-habit and, going outside, found Florence
waiting with the horses.

The Western girl's clear eyes seemed to take stock of Madeline's
appearance in one swift, inquisitive glance and then shone with
pleasure.

"You sure look--you're a picture, Miss