"Why, he says he is coming over here to stay awhile with Sydney, and he hopes I won't be----" She smiled a little and tucked the letter in her belt. "That'll keep," she said. "Come on, I'm going over to camp with you, Jim." CHAPTER XIX "Your horse don't look very tired," remarked the girl as they rode easily up the gulch toward Carter's camp. "When did you start?" "Left 'bout noon," replied McCullen. "No, he ain't tired; ain't even warm, be you, old man? Just jogged along easy all the way an' took my time. No great rush, anyhow. Cattle 're gittin' pretty well located up here now--good feed, fresh water, an' everything to attract 'em to the place. Never saw any stock look better'n that little bunch o' steers is lookin'. Market's way up now, an' they ought to be shipped pretty soon." "Why _don't_ you ship them, then?" asked Hope, leaning forward to brush a hornet from her horse's head. "Oh, you see," said the man lamely, "them cattle ain't in such all-fired good fix but what they might be better, an' I reckon your cousin ain't in any hurry to ship, nohow. Pretty good place to camp up here in summer. Cool--my, but it was blasted hot down at the ranch this mornin', an' the misquitoes like to eat me up! No misquitoes up here to bother, good water, good fishin', good company,--an' who under the sun would want to quit such a camp?" "I'm willing," said the girl, looking at him with fathomless eyes, "I'm perfectly willing for him to camp here all summer. It's quite convenient to have you all so near. Of course I'm getting used to the grub down there--some, by this time. Don't think I do not appreciate your being here, dear old Jim! But you know I understand, just the same, why you are here! And I think," she added softly, "I couldn't have stood it if he hadn't showed that he cared for me just so." "Cared!" exclaimed the old fellow. "Cared _for you_! Why, Hopie, your father worships the ground you walk on! He's a great, good-hearted man, the best in the world, and you mustn't have no hard feelin's agin' him for any little weaknesses, because the good in him is more'n the good in most men. There ain't no one that's perfect, but he's better'n most of us, I reckon. An' he loves you, an' is so proud of you, Hopie!" "Oh, I know it, I know it!" exclaimed the girl passionately. "An' your mother's goin' East next month," concluded McCullen. "She's very anxious to get away." "My poor father!" said Hope softly. Then more brightly: "I suppose Sydney's out with the cattle."