"I assure you, I don't think at all," he replied. "I'm not a reclamation engineer--never specialized on hydraulics." She flashed an odd look at him. "You never? But Mr. Blake--that wonderful engineer of the Zariba Dam--he would know, wouldn't he?" "I--suppose he would--that is, if he--" Ashton hesitated, and exclaimed, "But that's just it!" "What?" she asked. "Why, to--to have him come here. He's the luckiest for blundering on ways to do things," muttered Ashton. He added with growing bitterness: "Yes, if there's any way at all to do it, you'd have him flooding your whole range--deluging it. He's got all those millions to back him." "You do not like him," said the girl. She looked off towards High Mesa, her face glowing with suppressed excitement. "No doubt you are right--as to his ability. But--don't you see?--if it can be done, it is bound to be done sooner or later. All the time Daddy and I--and Kid, too--are living under this constant dread that it may be possible. But if such an engineer as--as Mr. Blake came and looked over the situation and told us we needn't fear--don't you see how--?" "You don't mean that you--?" Ashton, in turn, left his question unfinished and averted his face. "Yes," she answered. "I'm sure it will be best to put an end to this uncertainty. So I believe I shall send for--for Mr. Blake." "But--why for--for him--in particular?" he stammered. "I am sorry you dislike him," she said, regaining her composure when she saw that he too was agitated. He did not reply. She tactfully changed the subject. By the time they had circled around, back to the half open feed-sheds, he was gayly chatting with her on music and the drama. When they came down to the horse corral she proceeded to lecture him on the duties of a cowboy and showed him how to hold and throw a rope. Under her skillful tuition, he at last learned the knack of casting an open noose. Evening was near when they returned to the house. As before, they caught Knowles in the front porch contentedly puffing at his pipe. He dropped it down out of sight. The girl shook her finger at him, nodded to Ashton, and went indoors. Immediately the cowman put his pipe back into his mouth and drew another from his pocket, together with an unopened sack of tobacco. "Smoke?" he asked. Ashton's eyes gleamed. In the girl's presence he had been able to restrain the fierce craving that had tortured him since dinner. Now it so overmastered him that he almost snatched the pipe and tobacco out of the cowman's hand. The latter gravely shook his head. "Got it that bad, have you?" he deplored. Ashton could not answer until his pipe was well under way. "I'm--I'm breaking off," he replied. "Haven't had a cigarette all day--nor anything else. A-ah!" "Glad you like it," said Knowles. "A pipe is all right with this kind of tobacco. You can't inhale it like you can cigarettes, unless you want to strangle." "I shall break off entirely as soon as I can," asserted Ashton.