“Oh, come now, you will be trying to make love to me in another minute, and you promised to be good for the rest of the day. What is that thing-ama-jig on the dashboard?” “That’s the instrument board,” he corrected her, “and what you are pointing at is the speedometer.” Then he explained the various workings of the instruments to her. They had reached a part of the country that was clear and level for miles, and Mason let the trim racer dart ahead in a fresh burst of speed. Josephine had her eyes glued on the dial indicator and as the hand crept slowly up she saw that they had attained a speed of over fifty miles per hour. “Slow down,” she managed to gasp, “I can’t talk to you when you drive so fast.” He obediently slowed the car down. “I can promise you some exciting times when my friend Roy Purvis gets here,” he said after a long silence. “Roy Purvis,” she repeated after him, “I never heard you mention that name before.” “He is an old friend of mine and we used to race together before he went in for aviation. He promised me just before I left New York that he would visit me out here.” Little did they know what a thrilling part Roy Purvis and his airplane was to play in their future lives. The girl was deeply interested in what Mason had told her. “That will be jolly fun,” her eyes were keenly enthusiastic. “I have never seen an airplane, I hope he comes soon.” Mason nodded. “Roy is very eccentric, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him out here any time.” On the way home he stopped the car and let Josephine take his seat while he instructed her in driving. Soon she was driving the racer almost as skillfully as he. After about an hour she became tired and he relieved her at the wheel. “You have accomplished wonders with your first lesson,” he told her with honest conviction in his voice. “I am truly proud of you.” “I am very glad you think so, and if you will take me out again some time, I think I can do still better.” He fancied there was just the suspicion of an appeal in her voice. “The pleasure will be all mine,” he answered gallantly. They were nearing the ranch now, and just as they rode past the corral they were surprised to see MacNutt throwing a blanket over his sweat-reeked horse. Apparently he had ridden faster and by taking a shorter route had arrived just ahead of them. CHAPTER IX MYSTERIOUS MACNUTT The following morning, and before anybody was astir at Bar X ranch, the form of a man emerged from the bunkhouse and looking cautiously around to make sure that no one was watching him, stealing silently to the corral, he quickly roped and saddled one of the horses. It was MacNutt, and had any of the cowboys seen his face at that moment they would have been amazed. All trace of the half-wit smile had vanished, and in place of the drooping shoulders and shambling gait that had been characteristic of the man, he now moved with the cunning and quickness of a panther.