“That may be,” returned Dan calmly, “but one thing is certain, my breeding would make me bite my tongue before I’d let it fling coarse jokes about prayer or anything else that’s sacred.” Dan’s tone brought a strained silence. For a few seconds nothing was heard but the click of the knives and forks on the tin dishes. Then Pat came to the rescue with-- “Well, them Mormons are a jolly people anyway, if they do mix prayin’ and preachin’ with their dancin’ and their eatin’. Faith, and I think it’s a foine practice, especially that askin’ the blessin’ over their praties. It gives everybody a fair start. I’ve a moind to interjuce the custom in this bloomin’ camp.” The Irishman’s sally proved good sauce for breakfast. Everybody laughed, and things cleared up. Dick did not take kindly, of course, the rap Dan had given him, but it saved him from the tormenting he had expected on a tenderer spot--his discomfiture over Alta. For even with all the bravado he could muster, he could not drive out of his brain the fact that his chances with her had received an upset. Their parting the night before had been too abrupt for comfort to him, or to Alta either. For Alta did not enjoy quarrels. She had no well-defined feeling for Dick except to like him as a partner. He was quick at cowboy repartee, and rather winning withal. Any of the other ranch girls would have taken delight in receiving his attentions. But Alta was out for fun, not fellows. As to falling desperately in love with him or any one else--well, she had no thought of such things at that time. Still Dick’s dash and independence were a challenge to her own free spirit. He was as daring as she was saucy, and that made him provokingly interesting. Her actions with Fred had nettled him. She felt it, but she did not know why. Dick did, however, and he found it hard work to throw off his ugly feeling and act decently. Not that he cared so much for Alta. It was the anticipation of jokes at his expense from the boys and the worse thought that for once he had met the girl who could ignore him, that angered him sorely. As they had swung on at a lively gallop toward the Morgan ranch he turned his temperish feeling to smartness, making flippant remarks to draw out an expression of feeling from his partner. Alta, with quick wit, divined his thoughts, but she still kept her poise, foiling with lightsome yet ladylike deftness all his efforts to provoke a quarrel. Seeing that his efforts to annoy her failed to bring the response he desired, he finally desisted from making flippant remarks and by the time they reached the ranch, “Richard was himself again.” “Thank you very much,” said Alta, as he returned from taking care of her horse; “it has been a pleasant evening for me. I hope you have enjoyed it, too.” “Oh, sure, I had a dandy dance,” said he lightly. “Well, good night, happy dreams,” she said, her eyes laughing in the moonlight.