When it was all over, the big, tanned men gathered at the entrance to the calf corral and expanded in admiration of their new boss. “She’s a pure for fair. She grades up any old way yuh take her to the best corn-fed article on the market,” pronounced Denver, with enthusiasm. “I got to ride the boundary,” sighed Missou. “I kinder hate to go right now.” “Here, too,” acquiesced another. “I got a round-up on Wind Creek to cut out them two-year-olds. If ’twas my say-so, I’d order Mac on that job.” “Right kind of y’u. Seems to me”—Mac’s sarcastic eye trailed around to include all those who had been singing her praises—“the new queen of this hacienda won’t have no trouble at all picking a prince consort when she gets round to it. Here’s Wun Hop, not what y’u might call anxious, but ce’tainly willing. Then Denver’s some in the turtle-dove business, according to that hash-slinger in Cheyenne. Missou might be induced to accept if it was offered him proper; and I allow Jim ain’t turned the color of Redtop’s hair jest for instance. I don’t want to leave out ’Frisco and the other boys carrying Bannister’s pills—” “Nor McWilliams. I’d admire to include him,” murmured Denver. That sunburned, nonchalant youth laughed musically. “Sure thing. I’d hate to be left out. The only difference is—” “Well?” His roving eye circled blandly round. “I stand about one show in a million. Y’u roughnecks are dead ones already.” With which cold comfort he sauntered away to join Miss Messiter and the foreman, who now appeared together at the door of the ranchhouse, prepared to make a tour of the buildings and the immediate corrals. “Isn’t there a woman on the place?” she was asking Morgan. “No’m, there ain’t. Henderson’s daughter would come and stay with y’u a while I reckon.” “Please send for her at once, then, and ask her to come to-day.” “All right. I’ll send one of the boys right away.” “How did y’u leave ’Frisco, ma’am?” asked Mac, by way of including himself easily. “He’s resting quietly. Unless blood-poisoning sets in they ought all to do well.” “It’s right lucky for them y’u happened along. This is the hawss corral, ma’am,” explained the young man just as Morgan opened his thin lips to tell her. Judd contrived to get rid of him promptly. “Slap on a saddle, Mac, and run up the remuda so Miss Messiter can see the hawsses for herself,” he ordered. “Mebbe she’d rather ride down and look at the bunch,” suggested the capable McWilliams. As it chanced, she did prefer to ride down the pasture and look over the place from on horseback. She was in love with her ranch already. Its spacious distances, the thousands of cattle and the horses, these picturesque retainers who served her even to the shedding of an enemy’s blood; they all struck an answering echo in her gallant young heart that nothing in Kalamazoo had been able to stir. She bubbled over with enthusiasm, the while Morgan covertly sneered and McWilliams warmed to the untamed youth in her.