"I wouldn't count too strong on that," he counseled mildly. "Then why did you come?" she insisted. "Half of it was yours by merely keeping away." "Maybe I'm sort of tied up myself--in ways you don't suspect," he offered. "Very likely!" she returned; "sounds plausible. You might offer to marry me," she suggested when he failed to answer. "You could gain full possession at once that way." He removed his gaze from the fire and looked long at her. "It will likely come to that," he said. "I'll put a weapon in your hands," she retorted. "Whenever it does come to that I'll leave the ranch--so now you know the one sure way to win." "I hope it won't pan out like that," he said. "I'll be disappointed--more than I can say." She rose and stood waiting for him to go. "Good night, Billie," he said. "I expect maybe things will break all right for us." She did not answer and he went out. Waddles hailed him in friendly fashion as he passed through the cookhouse, then wiped his hands and stepped into Billie's quarters. Waddles was a fixture at the Three Bar; he had ridden for her father until he had his legs smashed up by a horse and had thereafter reigned as cook. He was confidential adviser and self-appointed guardian of the girl. His mind was still pleasantly concerned with the stranger's warm praise of his culinary efforts. "That new man now, Billie," he remarked. "He's away off ahead of the average run. You mark me--he'll be top hand with this outfit in no time at all." Then he observed the girl's expression. "What is it, Pet?" he inquired. "What's a-fretting you?" "Do you know who he is?" she asked. Waddles wagged a negative head. "He's Calvin Harris," she stated. Instead of the blank dismay which she had expected to see depicted on Waddles's face at this announcement, it seemed to her that the big man was pleased. "The hell!" he said. "'Scuse me, Billie. So this here is Cal! Well, well--now what do you think of that?" "I think that I don't want to stay here alone with him while you're out after the horses," she returned. "Wrong idea!" the big man promptly contradicted. "You've got to stick it out for two years, girl. The best thing you can do is to get acquainted; and figure out how to get along the best you can--the pair of you." "That's probably true," she assented indifferently. "I'll have to face a number of things that are equally unpleasant in the next two years--so I might as well start now. He must have praised the food in order to win you to his side in two minutes flat." Waddles's face expressed pained reproach. "Now there it is again!" he said. "You know I'm only on one side--yours. Old Cal Warren had some definite notion when he framed this play; so it's likely this young Cal is on your side, too." "But even more likely not," she stated. "Then what?"