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e time。
A warm； dry； fragrant breeze came through the window。 Dick caught again the sweet smell of flowers or fruit。 He heard the fluttering of leaves； the murmur of running water； the twittering of birds； then the sound of approaching footsteps and voices。 The door at the far end of the room was open。 Through it he saw poles of peeled wood upholding a porch roof； a bench； rose bushes in bloom； grass； and beyond these bright…green foliage of trees。
〃He shore was sleepin' when I looked in an hour ago；〃 said a voice that Kick recognized as Ladd's。
〃Let him sleep；〃 came the reply in deep； good…natured tones。 〃Mrs。 b。 says the girl's never moved。 Must have been a tough ride for them both。 Forty miles through cactus！〃
〃Young Gale hoofed darn near half the way；〃 replied Ladd。 〃We tried to make him ride one of our hosses。 If we had； we'd never got here。 A walk like that'd killed me an' Jim。〃
〃Well； Laddy； I'm right down glad to see you boys； and I'll do all I can for the young couple；〃 said the other。 〃But I'm doing some worry here； don't mistake me。〃
〃About your stock？〃
〃I've got only a few head of cattle at the oasis now； I'm worrying some； mostly about my horses。 The U。 S。 is doing some worrying； too； don't mistake me。 The rebel have worked west and north as far as Casita。 There are no cavalrymen along the line beyond Casita； and there can't be。 It's practically waterless desert。 But these rebels are desert men。 They could cross the line beyond the Rio Forlorn and smuggle arms into Mexico。 Of course； my job is to keep tab on Chinese and Japs trying to get into the U。S。 from Magdalena Bay。 But I'm supposed to patrol the border line。 I'm going to hire some rangers。 Now； I'm not so afraid of being shot up； though out in this lonely place there's danger of it； what I'm afraid of most is losing that bunch of horses。 If any rebels come this far； or if they ever hear of my horses； they're going to raid me。 You know what those guerrilla Mexicans will do for horses。 They're crazy on horse flesh。 They know fine horses。 They breed the finest in the world。 So I don't sleep nights any more。〃
〃Reckon me an' Jim might as well tie up with your for a spell； Beldin'。 We've been ridin' up an' down Arizona tryin' to keep out of sight of wire fences。〃
〃Laddy； it's open enough around Forlorn River to satisfy even an old…time cowpuncher like you；〃 laughed Belding。 〃I'd take your staying on as some favor； don't mistake me。 Perhaps I can persuade the young man Gale to take a job with me。〃
〃That's shore likely。 He said he had no money； no friends。 An' if a scrapper's all you're lookin' for he'll do；〃 replied Ladd； with a dry chuckle。
〃Mrs。 B。 will throw some broncho capers round this ranch when she hears I'm going to hire a stranger。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Well； there's Nell And you said this Gale was a young American。 My wife will be scared to death for fear Nell will fall in love with him。〃
Laddy choked off a laugh； then evidently slapped his knee or Belding's； for there was a resounding smack。
〃He's a fine…spoken； good…looking chap； you said？〃 went on Belding。
〃Shore he is；〃 said Laddy； warmly。 〃What do you say； Jim？〃
By this time Dick Gale's ears began to burn and he was trying to make himself deaf when he wanted to hear every little word。
〃Husky young fellow； nice voice； steady； clear eyes； kinda proud； I thought； an' some handsome； he was；〃 replied Jim Lash。
〃Maybe I ought to think twice before taking a stranger into my family；〃 said Belding； seriously。 〃Well； I guess he's all right； Laddy； being the cavalryman's friend。 No bum or lunger？ He must be all right？〃
〃Bum？ Lunger？ Say； didn't I tell you I shook hands with this boy an' was plumb glad to meet him？〃 demanded Laddy； with considerable heat。 Manifestly he had been affronted。 〃Tom Beldin'； he's a gentleman； an' he could lick you in in half a second。 How about that； Jim？〃
〃Less time；〃 replied Lash。 〃Tom； here's my stand。 Young Gale can have my hoss； my gun； anythin' of mine。〃
〃Aw； I didn't mean to insult you； boys； don't mistake me；〃 said Belding。 〃Course he's all right。〃
The object of this conversation lay quiet upon his bed； thrilling and amazed at being so championed by the cowboys； delighted with Belding's idea of employing him； and much amused with the quaint seriousness of the three。
〃How's the young man？〃 called a woman's voice。 It was kind and mellow and earnest。
Gale heard footsteps on flagstones。
〃He's asleep yet； wife；〃 replied Belding。 〃Guess he was pretty much knocked out。。。。I'll close the door there so we won't wake him。〃
There were slow； soft steps； then the door softly closed。 But the fact scarcely made a perceptible difference in the sound of the voices outside。
〃Laddy and Jim are going to stay；〃 went on Belding。 〃It'll be like the old Panhandle days a little。 I'm powerful glad to have the boys； Nellie。 You know I meant to sent to Casita to ask them。 We'll see some trouble before the revolution is ended。 I think I'll make this young man Gale an offer。〃
〃He isn't a cowboy？〃 asked Mrs。 Belding； quickly。
〃No。〃
〃Shore he'd make a darn good one；〃 put in Laddy。
〃What is he？ Who is he？ Where did he come from？ Surely you must be〃
〃Laddy swears he's all right；〃 interrupted the husband。 〃That's enough reference for me。 Isn't it enough for you？〃
〃Humph！ Laddy knows a lot about young men； now doesn't he； especially strangers from the East？。。。Tom； you must be careful！〃
〃Wife； I'm only too glad to have a nervy young chap come along。 What sense is there in your objection； if Jim and Laddy stick up for him？〃
〃But； Tomhe'll fall in love with Nell！〃 protested Mrs。 Belding。
〃Well； wouldn't that be regular？ Doesn't every man who comes along fall in love with Nell？ Hasn't it always happened？ When she was a schoolgirl in Kansas didn't it happen？ Didn't she have a hundred moon…eyed ninnies after her in Texas？ I've had some peace out here in the desert； except when a Greaser or a prospector or a Yaqui would come along。 Then same old story in love with Nell！〃
〃But； Tom； Nell might fall in love with this young man！〃 exclaimed the wife； in distress。
〃Laddy； Jim； didn't I tell you？〃 cried Belding。 〃I knew she'd say that。。。。My dear wife； I would be simply overcome with joy if Nell did fall in love once。 Real good and hard！ She's wilder than any antelope out there on the desert。 Nell's nearly twenty now； and so far as we know she's never cared a rap for any fellow。 And she's just as gay and full of the devil as she was at fourteen。 Nell's as good and lovable as she is pretty； but I'm afraid she'll never grow into a woman while we live out in this lonely land。 And you've always hated towns where there was a chance for the girljust because you were afraid she'd fall in love。 You've always been strange； even silly； about that。 I've done my best for Nellloved her as if she were my own daughter。 I've changed many business plans to suit your whims。 There are rough times ahead； maybe。 I need men。 I'll hire this chap Gale if he'll stay。 Let Nell take her chance with him； just as she'll have to take chances with men when we get out of the desert。 She'll be all the better for it。〃
〃I hope Laddy's not mistaken in his opinion of this newcomer；〃 replied Mrs。 Belding； with a sigh of resignation。
〃Shore I never made a mistake in my life figger'n' people；〃 said Laddy； stoutly。
〃Yes； you have； Laddy；〃 replied Mrs。 Belding。 〃You're wrong about Tom。。。。Well； supper is to be got。 That young man and the girl will be starved。 I'll go in now。 If Nell happens around don'tdon't flatter her； Laddy； like you did at dinner。 Don't make her think of her looks。〃
Dick heard Mrs。 Belding walk away。
〃Shore she's powerful particular about that girl；〃 observed Laddy。 〃Say； Tom； Nell knows she's pretty； doesn't she？〃
〃She's liable to find it out unless you shut up； Laddy。 When you visited us out here some weeks ago； you kept paying cowboy compliments to her。〃
〃An' it's your idea that cowboy compliments are plumb bad for girls？〃
〃Downright bad； Laddy； so my wife says。〃
〃I'll be darned if I believe any girl can be hurt by a little sweet talk。 It pleases 'em。。。。But say； Beldin'； speaking of looks； have you got a peek yet at the Spanish girl？〃
〃Not in the light。〃
〃Well； neither have I in daytime。 I had enough by moonlight。 Nell is some on looks； but I'm regretful passin' the ribbon to the lady from Mex。 Jim； where are you？〃
〃My money's on Nell；〃 replied Lash。 〃Gimme a girl with flesh an' color； an' blue eyes a…laughin'。 Miss Castaneda is some peach； I'll not gainsay。 But her face seemed too white。 An' when she flashed those eyes on me； I thought I was shot！ When she stood up there at first； thankin' us； I felt as if aa princess was round somewhere。 Now； Nell is kiddish an' sweet an'〃
〃Chop it；〃 interrupted Belding。 〃Here comes Nell now。〃
Dick's tingling hears took in the pattering of light footsteps； the rush of some one running。
〃Here you are；〃 cried a sweet； happy voice。 〃Dad； the Senorita is perfectly lovely。 I've been peeping at her。 She sleeps likelike death。 She's so white。 Oh； I hope she won't be ill。〃
〃Shore she's o