"Who's in that wagon?" he cried, moving toward it. "Show Low asleep?" "No. Buddy," said Polly, thinking she might as well confess the deception first as last, and using the childish nickname of her lover in order to soften Slim's anger against him. "Nobody," repeated Slim, not fully convinced that he was mistaken, but stopping in deference to Polly's apparent denial. "Who do you s'pose," asked Polly pertly, taking courage when she found that Slim did not continue his investigation. "You ain't after any Buddy, are you?" "No, but I'll just take a look in here, 'cause I got somethin' particular to say to you, Miss Polly, an' I don't want no listeners." And he moved forward again. At this juncture Polly began to ply her arts as a coquette. Looking shyly at Slim, she murmured, "Are you sure you are not after ANYbody?" The emphasis on the last word was so plain that a shrewder love-maker than Slim would have been deceived. "Eh? What's that?" Polly turned her back to him with assumed bashfulness. Slim's courage arose at the sight. "Well, I reckon this is a pat hand for me, and that's the way I'm a-goin' to play it, if I've got the nerve." Slim smoothed down his tangled hair, and brushed off some of the dust which whitened his shoulders. "Look yeah, Miss Polly--" Then his courage failed him, and he stopped. Polly glanced at him, to help him over the hard places. Slim was greatly embarrassed. "My heart is right up in any throat. Well, I might as well spit it out," he thought aloud. Again Slim started toward the girl to tell her of his love, and again his courage failed him, although Polly was doing her best to help him. "Look yeah, Miss Polly, I've been after somebody for a long time now--" "Horse-thief?" asked Polly coquettishly. "No, heart-thief," blurted Slim. "Stealing hearts ain't no harm." "Well, just the same, I'm goin' to issue a writ of replevin, an' try for to git mine back," laughed Slim. He was about to slip his arm about her waist when she turned and faced him. The action so disconcerted him that he jumped backward, as if the girl was about to attack him. "Where is it?" asked Polly. Slim, deeply in earnest, replied: "You know it's hid. You know just as well as I kin tell you." Polly became remorseful. She realized how much Slim was suffering, and she was sorry that her answer to him would be a disappointment. "Please don't say any more, Slim,"--as she stepped away from him. Slim followed her up, and, speaking over her shoulder, said: "I can't help it. You've got my feelin's stampeded now, an' they sure has to run. I've had an itchin' in my heart for you ever since I first knowed you. You come from Kentucky--well, I was kinder borned up that way myself--in Boone County, an' that sorter makes--well, if it did, what I want to know is--" Slim hesitated, and nervously hauled at his chaps. "Will you be my--" Frightened at his boldness, he clapped his hand over his mouth. "Can I be your--" he began again.