Ever since she had rebuked him for his forced and unwelcome attentions, he had carried an ugly heart toward the girl. The incident which provoked his anger had just recently occurred, and Bud was stubborn in his grudges. When Alta first came as a little girl to her uncle’s ranch, Bud had been a kind of big brother to her. He was employed by Colonel Morgan; and with the other hands, he had taken delight in teaching her how to ride, to throw a lasso, and to drive the cattle. Alta responded with childlike good-fellowship, accepting his attentions with playful innocence. Bud thought of her as of a mere child at first; but when Alta, after two years at school, came back, no longer a romping little ranch girl but a young lady, beautiful in her budding womanhood, he fell an easy prey to her charms. Presuming on his former associations, he grew ardent toward the girl. Surprised and annoyed at this turn of affairs, Alta tried at first to avoid him; but since he worked at her uncle’s ranch, it was hard not to meet him often; and the worse she treated him, the more persistent he grew, forcing his love-making upon her until one day she compelled herself to face it out. Then she told him frankly that if he wanted to keep her friendship, he must stop his love nonsense. “Friendship!” he blurted out; “I don’t want your friendship. If we can’t be more’n friends, we can’t be anything.” “Well, Bud,” she said firmly, “we can’t be anything more.” “You won’t have me, then?” he half demanded. “Have you?” Alta’s tone showed more than she meant to reveal of her disgust. Bud’s stupid pride was stung. “You damned flirt,” he snapped, “if you was a man I’d----” “No, you wouldn’t, Bud Nixon,” Alta checked him; “you’re too big a coward. Now don’t you dare insult me again or you’ll rue it.” This flash of righteous temper took his breath away. He stared stupidly at her, then turned sharply and strode out of the room with jangling spurs. That ended it so far as the love-making was concerned; but it was the beginning of a stupid hate in his heart. He simply caroused about and took delight in becoming chief of the ruffian element in the valley, venting his spite against Alta by tormenting her in rude ways, and making any fellow who dared to pay her attention a target for his enmity and abuse. Alta’s uncle knew nothing about the matter. She spared his feelings by keeping this trouble to herself--a rather hard thing for Alta to decide, because all of her life she had confided freely in her “dear daddy,” as she affectionately called him. But this she knew would anger and worry him and she feared the consequences.