Her husband bowed awkwardly: "Glad to know you. We know'd yer paw--used to stop now an' again on his way to town. He was a smart man. Liked to talk to him. He'd be'n all over." The man turned his attention to his plate and the meal proceeded in solemn silence to its conclusion. The two ranch hands arose and disappeared through the door, and tilting back in his chair Thompson produced a match from his pocket, and proceeded to whittle it into a toothpick. "I heard in town how you was out in the hills," he began. "They said yer paw went back East--" he paused as if uncertain how to proceed. Patty nodded: "Yes, he went back home, and this spring he died. He told me he had made a strike and I came out here to locate it." The kindly brown eyes regarded her intently: "Ever do any prospectin'?" "No. This is my first experience." "I never, either. But, if I was you I'd kind of have an eye on my neighbors." "You mean--the Wattses?" asked the girl in surprise. The brown eyes were twinkling again: "No, Watts, he's all right! Only trouble with Watts is he sets an' herds the sun all day. But, they's others besides Watts in the hills." "Yes," answered the girl, quickly, "I know. And that is the reason I came to see you about a horse." "What's the matter with the one you got?" "Nothing at all. He seems to be a good horse. He's fast too, when I want to crowd him. But, I need another just as good and as fast as he is. Have you one you will sell?" "I'll sell anything I got, if the price is right," smiled the man. Patty regarded him thoughtfully: "I haven't very much money," she said. "How much is he worth?" Thompson considered: "A horse ain't like a cow-brute. There ain't no regular market price. Horses is worth just as much as you can get folks to pay fer 'em. But it looks like one horse ort to be enough to prospect 'round the hills on." "It isn't that," explained the girl. "If I buy him I shall try to arrange with you to leave him right here where I can get him at a moment's notice. I shall probably never need him but once, but when I do, I shall need him badly." She paused, but without comment the man waited for her to proceed: "I believe I am being followed, and if I am, when I locate the claim, I am going to have to race for the register's office." Thompson leaned forward upon the table and chewed his toothpick rapidly: "By Gosh, an' you want to have a fresh horse here for a change!" he exclaimed, his eyes beaming approval. "Exactly. Have you got the horse?" The man nodded: "You bet I've got the horse! I've got a horse out there in the corral that'll run rings around anythin' in this country unless it's that there buckskin of Vil Holland's--an' I guess you ain't goin' to have no call to race him."