Still, she was relieved when they were ready to pile into their car the next afternoon, and she was able, for that reason, to say good-by to Mr. Meyers with real enthusiasm. He thought the young lady had had a good time, and was pleased with himself, for Mr. Wainwright had consented to make an investment in his ranch. That would furnish him with funds for extensions that his local banks were too over-borrowed to finance. They had been riding for some time after dark when their driver stopped, and said he had got off on the wrong road somehow. He knew they were not going in the right direction. They were headed for those mountains and he knew El Paso lay over _there_. All the roads looked alike on these deserts. He didn’t know this country by night very well. They turned about and drove back to the last fork, taking a well-traveled road which seemed to be the main thoroughfare. But when it swung east, they stopped, realizing that they were really lost. Mr. Wainwright, ill able to stand fatigue or exposure, began to cough, and Lois, who until now had been listlessly indifferent to whether they were lost or not, became all solicitude. It was her tenderness and petting at such times which filled her father’s heart with happiness. The driver was just about to start the engine again when the sound of another car was heard, and in a moment the swinging searchlight came into sight. Their driver got out and held up his hand. The other car came to a stop. A young man jumped out and stepped into the light. It was the officer whom Lois had seen in the store two days ago! The driver explained their predicament. The young man came over, hat in hand, and bowed. When he looked up, he could not restrain a start of surprise. This doll-like blonde surely had a meltingly lovely smile! And her voice was sweet as alfalfa honey, thought the romantic Custer. The result of the meeting was that Custer, returning to his post at Fort Bliss from the holiday visit with Raquel and his mother, joined Lois and her father on the back seat. He directed the driver to the right road, and the rented car followed them. They talked of this and that, but it was not long before Custer said boldly, “Didn’t I see you in a curio shop in El Paso the day before Christmas?” “Perhaps so,” replied Lois, all wide-eyed innocence. And then, “I was there.” “And I bought the shawl you were looking at,” laughed Custer. “Oh, it was you, you wretch! And I wanted that shawl terribly.” “Well, I wanted terribly to speak to you,” Custer replied. “I--I thought you were some one I knew; that is, I knew about. Aren’t you Jimmy Hovey’s cousin Lois?” Lois was completely taken aback. But it never occurred to her that this attractive fellow, a second-lieutenant, was ever anything but a lieutenant. Some friend of Jimmy’s at the fort, she thought, and smiled. “Yes. How did you know it?”