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he had been bundled into a buckboard and driven over to the Mexican Central

which, at that time, still was operating trains--occasionally--between Chihuahua

and Juarez.

His mind filled with these unpleasant thoughts, Grayson sat at his desk in the

office of the ranch trying to unravel the riddle of a balance sheet which would not

balance. Mixed with the blue of the smoke from his briar was the deeper azure of

a spirited monologue in which Grayson was engaged.

A girl was passing the building at the moment. At her side walked a gray-haired

man--one of those men whom you just naturally fit into a mental picture of a

director's meeting somewhere along Wall Street.

Sich langwidge!" cried the girl, with a laugh, covering her ears with her palms.

The man at her side smiled.

I can't say that I blame him much, Barbara," he replied. "It was a very foolish

thing for me to bring you down here at this time. I can't understand what ever

possessed me to do it."

Don't blame yourself, dear," remonstrated the girl, "when it was all my fault. I

begged and begged and begged until you had to consent, and I'm not sorry either-

if nothing happens to you because of our coming. I couldn't stay in New York

another minute. Everyone was so snoopy, and I could just tell that they were

dying to ask questions about Billy and me."

I can't get it through my head yet, Barbara," said the man, "why in the world you

broke with Billy Mallory. He's one of the finest young men in New York City today-

just my ideal of the sort of man I'd like my only daughter to marry."

I tried, Papa," said the girl in a low voice; "but I couldn't--I just couldn't."

Was it because--" the man stopped abruptly. "Well, never mind dear, I shan't be

snoopy too. Here now, you run along and do some snooping yourself about the

ranch. I want to stop in and have a talk with Grayson."

Down by one of the corrals where three men were busily engaged in attempting to

persuade an unbroken pony that a spade bit is a pleasant thing to wear in one's

mouth, Barbara found a seat upon a wagon box which commanded an excellent

view of the entertainment going on within the corral. As she sat there

experiencing a combination of admiration for the agility and courage of the men

and pity for the horse the tones of a pleasant masculine voice broke in upon her

thoughts.

217

The Mucker