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addressed to Miss Helen Messiter。 Now； automobiles are awful seldom in
this country。 I don't seem to remember having seen one before。〃
〃I see。 You're quite a Sherlock Holmes。 Do you know anything more
about me？〃
〃I know y'u have just fallen heir to the Lazy D。 They say y'u are a
schoolmarm； but I don't believe it。〃
〃Well； I am。〃 Then； 〃Why don't you believe it？〃 she added。
He surveyed her with his smile audacious； let his amused eyes wander
down from the mobile face with the wild…rose bloom to the slim young
figure so long and supple； then serenely met her frown。
〃 Y'u don't look it。〃
〃 No？ Are you the owner of a composite photograph of the teachers of
the country？〃
He enjoyed again his private mirth。 〃I should like right well to have
the pictures of some of them。〃
She glanced at him sharply； but he was gazing so innocently at the
purple Shoshones in the distance that she could not give him the snub she
thought he needed。
〃You are right。 My name is Helen Messiter；〃 she said； by way of
stimulating a counter fund of information。 For； though she was a young
woman not much given to curiosity； she was aware of an interest in this
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spare； broad…shouldered youth who was such an incarnation of bronzed
vigor。
〃Glad to meet y'u； Miss Messiter；〃 he responded； and offered his firm
brown hand in Western fashion。
But she observed resentfully that he did not mention his own name。 It
was impossible to suppose that he knew no better； and she was driven to
conclude that he was silent of set purpose。 Very well！ If he did not want to
introduce himself she was not going to urge it upon him。 In a businesslike
manner she gave her attention to eating up the dusty miles。
〃Yes； ma'am。 I reckon I never was more glad to death to meet a lady
than I was to meet up with y'u；〃 he continued； cheerily。 〃Y'u sure looked
good to me as y'u come a…foggin' down the road。 I fair had been yearnin'
for company but was some discouraged for fear the invitation had
miscarried。〃 He broke off his sardonic raillery and let his level gaze
possess her for a long moment。 〃Miss Messiter； I'm certainly under an
obligation to y'u I can't repay。 Y'u saved my life；〃 he finished gravely。
〃Nonsense。〃
〃Fact。〃
〃It isn't a personal matter at all；〃 she assured him； with a touch of
impatient hauteur。
〃It s a heap personal to me。〃
In spite of her healthy young resentment she laughed at the way in
which he drawled this out； and with a swift sweep her boyish eyes took in
again his compelling devil…may…care charm。 She was a tenderfoot； but
intuition as well as experience taught her that he was unusual enough to be
one of ten thousand。 No young Greek god's head could have risen more
superbly above the brick…tanned column of the neck than this close…
cropped curly one。 Gray eyes； deep and unwavering and masterful； looked
out of a face as brown as Wyoming。 He was got up with no thought of
effect； but the tigerish litheness； the picturesque competency of him； spake
louder than costuming。
〃Aren't you really hurt worse than you pretend？ I'm sure your ankle
ought to be attended to as soon as possible。〃
〃Don't tell me you're a lady doctor； ma'am；〃 he burlesqued his alarm。
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〃Can you tell me where the nearest ranch house is？〃 she asked；
ignoring his diversion。
〃The Lazy D is the nearest； I reckon。〃
〃Which direction？〃
〃North by east； ma'am。〃
〃Then I'll take the most direct road to it。
〃In that case I'll thank y'u for my ride and get out here。〃
〃Butwhy？〃
He waved a jaunty hand toward the recent battlefield。 〃The Lazy D
lies right back of that hill。 I expect； mebbe； those wolves might howl again
if we went back。〃
〃Where； then； shall I take you？〃
〃I hate to trouble y'u to go out of your way。
〃I dare say； but I'm going just the same；〃 she told him； dryly。
〃If you're right determined 〃 He interrupted himself to point to the
south。 〃Do y'u see that camel…back peak over there？〃
〃The one with the sunshine on its lower edge？〃
〃That's it； Miss Messiter。 They call those two humps the Antelope
Peaks。 If y'u can drop me somewhere near there I think I'll manage all
right。〃
〃I'm not going to leave you till we reach a house；〃 she informed him
promptly。 〃You're not fit to walk fifty yards。〃
〃That's right kind of y'u； but I could not think of asking so much。 My
friends will find me if y'u leave me where I can work a heliograph。〃
〃Or your enemies；〃 she cut in。
〃I hope not。 I'd not likely have the luck to get another invitation right
then to go riding with a friendly young lady。〃
She gave him direct； cool； black…blue eyes that met and searched his。
〃I'm not at all sure she is friendly。 I shall want to find out the cause of the
trouble you have just had before I make up my mind as to that。〃
〃I judge people by their actions。 Y'u didn't wait to find out before
bringing the ambulance into action；〃 he laughed。
〃I see you do not mean to tell me。〃
〃You're quite a lawyer； ma'am；〃 he evaded。
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〃I find you a very slippery witness； then。〃
〃Ask anything y'u like and I'll tell you。〃
〃Very well。 Who were those men； and why were they trying to kill
you？〃
〃They turned their wolf loose on me because I shot up one of them
yesterday。〃
〃Dear me！ Is it your business to go around shooting people？ That's
three I happen to know that you have shot。 How many more？〃
〃No more； ma'amnot recently。〃
〃Well； three is quite enoughrecently；〃 she mimicked。 〃You seem to
me a good deal of a desperado。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃Don't say 'Yes； ma'am；' like that； as if it didn't matter in the least
whether you are or not；〃 she ordered。
〃No； ma'am。〃
〃Oh！〃 She broke off with a gesture of impatience at his burlesque of
obedience。 〃You k