Her head came up of a sudden and a sparkle of triumph set her blue eyes to shining. “That’s the place I want!” she cried. It staggered Bud. “Why, ma’am, how do you know? Mebbe you wouldn’t like it at all. Better wait till you see it.” “I do know! Is there a house on it?” “Ordinarily the go’ment don’t furnish houses,” said Bud with the suggestion of dryness. “But it so happens ol’ man Hazen took this up an’ got plumb discouraged. He went to Bend. You c’n take up the rights fer next to nothin’. I’ll see about that. There’s a house, well, an’ barn on it.” She sprang from the chair. “Mr. Bud, can’t we go right over and move in now? I want to get started.” Her face was tinted with a pink excitement and her mouth, which Bud decided was about as kissable a one as he had ever seen, was puckered in determination. She was finding a great satisfaction in something. The puzzled storekeeper watched her. “Why, I reckon you could, but----” “_But!_” she exclaimed. “That’s the only word I’ve heard lately! I don’t want to hear any more of it. I want you to help me file the necessary things and help me move. Whatever it’s worth I’ll pay you. But you’ve got to help. Can’t we start right now?” The storekeeper found things moving too fast, and he promptly vetoed the suggestion. “We ain’t goin’ no place at two o’clock in the afternoon. Why, ma’am, people don’t travel through them jack pines this time o’ day, unless it’s powerful necessary. Terrible hot. ’Bout four thirty we’ll start. Meanwhile, we’ll be collectin’ some grub an’ tools.” She seemed to acquire more and more energy. The delay fretted her and she moved restlessly around the store, choosing what she needed from the shelves. There were sundry implements of which she knew nothing at all, and Bud explained them. She listened quite carefully, a wry expression now and then tempering the determination. Bud was compelled to admire the way in which she accepted his picture of homestead life. None too rosy did he paint that picture, either. He wanted recruits for the land, but he wanted them to be disillusioned before they started residence. Once she stopped him. “You’re trying to discourage me,” she said. “Huh. I been here in this country twenty-five years, an’ I’m tellin’ you as straight as I can. The land grows on them as can stand it. For the rest it kills or drives out.” “It won’t scare me. What others do I can do.” He silently applauded. “You can go out an’ live on the place without hindrance while I sort of fix up things with Hazen an’ the land office. You can go to Bend later.”