Brand Blotters

Her eyes swept to his. "You won't get father into trouble will you?"

The warm, affectionate smile came back to his face, so that as he looked

at her he seemed a sun-god. But again there was something in his gaze that

was not the frankness of a comrade, some smoldering fire that strangely

stirred her blood and yet left her uneasy.

"I'm not liable to bring trouble to those you love, girl. I stand by my

friends."

Her pony began to move toward the house, and he strode beside, as debonair

and gallant a figure as ever filled the eye and the heart of a woman. The

morning sun glow irradiated him, found its sparkling reflection in the

dark curls of his bare head, in the bloom of his tanned cheeks, made a fit

setting for the graceful picture of lingering youth his slim, muscular

figure and springy stride personified. Small wonder the untaught girl

beside him found the merely physical charm of him fascinating. If her

instinct sometimes warned her to beware, her generous heart was eager to

pay small heed to the monition except so far as concerned her father.

After breakfast he came into the office to see her before he left.

"Good-by for a day or two," he said, offering his hand.

"You're coming back again, are you?" she asked quietly, but not without a

deeper dye in her cheeks.

"Yes, I'm coming back. Will you be glad to see me?"

"Why should I be glad? I hardly know you these days."

"You'll know me better before we're through with each other."

She would acknowledge no interest in him, the less because she knew it was

there. "I may do that without liking you better."

And suddenly his swift, winning smile flashed upon her. "But you've got to

like me. I want you to."

"Do you get everything you want?" she smiled back.

"If I want it enough, I usually do."

"Then since you get so much, you'll be better able to do without my

liking."

"I'm going to have it too."

"Don't be too sure." She had a feeling that things were moving too fast,

and she hailed the appearance of her father with relief. "Good morning,

dad. Did you sleep well? Mr. Norris is just leaving."

"Wait till I git a bite o' breakfast and I'll go with you, Phil," promised

Lee. "I got to ride over to Mesa anyhow some time this week."