“Say, where’d you get that ridin’ rig, Doc?” the young man asked. He craned his neck, staring with real admiration, and again Rock felt himself involved in a mesh of pretense which almost tempted him to proclaim himself. But that, too, he evaded slightly. He _did_ have a good riding rig. It hadn’t occurred to him that it might occasion comment. But this youth, of course, knew Doc Martin’s accustomed gear probably as well as he knew his own. Naturally he would be curious. “Made a trade with a fellow the other day.” * * * * * Rock registered a mental note to cache Martin’s saddle, bridle, and spurs as soon as he got home. “I bet you gave him plenty to boot,” the boy said anxiously. “You always were lucky. He musta been broke an’ needed the mazuma.” “I expect he was,” Rock agreed. Again the girl’s lips parted to speak, and again the boy interrupted. Rock out of one corner of his eye detected a shade of annoyance cross her alluring face. He wondered. “How’s Nona an’ the kid?” “Fine,” Rock informed him. “I left her riding down to Vieux’s after that dark-complected nurse girl.” “Are you going back home to-night?” the girl asked abruptly. “I’d tell a man,” Rock said. “As soon as I do business with the chuck pile, I’m riding. I’m supposed to be back by three, and I’ll certainly have to burn the earth to make it.” “You won’t lose your job if you don’t.” “Well, if I do, I know where I can get another one,” Rock said lightly. “But I aim to be on time.” “Him lose his job!” the TL rider scoffed. “You couldn’t pry him lose from that job with a crowbar. Now don’t shoot,” he begged in mock fear. “You know you got a snap, compared to ridin’ round-up with the Maltese Cross--or any other gosh-danged cow outfit. I’m goin’ to put up a powerful strong talk to Nona to send you on beef round-up this fall an’ let me be ranch boss for a rest.” “You got my permission,” Rock said a little tartly. These personalities irked him. “I’ll be tickled to death if you do.” He didn’t know what there was in his words, or tone, perhaps, to make the boy stare at him doubtfully, and the yellow-haired girl to smile with a knowing twinkle in her eyes, as if she shared some secret understanding with him. By then they were loping swiftly into a saucerlike depression in the plains, in the midst of which a large day herd grazed under the eye of four riders, and the saddle bunch was a compact mass by the round-up tents.