He turned her face so that he could look into her honest eyes, but Lucy twisted her head away, blushing. "No," she said faintly. "He--he is in love with Kitty." "With Kitty!" cried Judge Ware, outraged at the idea. "Why, he--but never mind, never mind, darling. I am glad at least that it is not with you. We must be going home soon now, anyway, and that will break off this--er--But I don't remember having seen them together much!" "No," said Lucy demurely, "he has been very discreet. But you haven't answered my question, father. Will you give me the ranch if I get Rufus to stay? Oh, you're a dear! Now you just leave everything in my hands and see what a good business woman I am!" She skipped lightly out the door and hurried over to where Hardy and Jefferson Creede were sitting under a tree, talking gravely together. They stopped as she approached and Hardy looked up a little sullenly from where he sat. Then he rose, and took off his hat. "May I have a few words with you on a matter of business, Rufus?" she asked, with her friendliest smile. "No, don't go, Mr. Creede; you are interested in this, too. In fact," she added mysteriously, "I need your assistance." A slow smile crept into the rough cowboy's eyes as he sat watching her. "What can I do for you?" he inquired guardedly. "Well," answered Lucy, "the situation is like this--and I'm not trying to rope you in on anything, as you say, so you needn't look suspicious. My father has become so discouraged with the way things are going that he has given the entire Dos S Ranch to me--if I can manage it. Now I know that you both have quit because you don't approve of my father's orders about the sheep. I don't know what your plans are but I want to get a new superintendent, and that's where I need your assistance, Mr. Creede." She paused long enough to bestow a confiding smile upon the _rodeo_ boss, and then hurried on to explain her position. "Of course you understand how it is with father. He has been a judge, and it wouldn't do for a man in his position to break the laws. But I want you two men to tell me before you go just what you think I ought to do to save my cattle, and you can say whatever you please. Mr. Creede, if you were a woman and owned the Dos S outfit, what would you do about the sheep?" For a minute Creede sat silent, surveying the little lady from beneath his shaggy hair. "Well," he said judicially, "I think I'd do one of two things: I'd either marry some nice kind man whose judgment I could trust, and turn the job over to him,"--he glanced sideways at Hardy as he spoke,--"or I'd hire some real mean, plug-ugly feller to wade in and clean 'em out. Failin' in that, I think I'd turn the whole outfit over to Rufe here and go away and fergit about it."