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"Reckon you're from Texas," said Jean, presently

"Shore am," she drawled She had a lazy Southern voice, pleasant to hear "How'd y'u-all guess that?"

"Anybody can tell a Texan Where I caood many pioneers an' ranchers from the old Lone Star state I've worked for several An', coirl talk than anybody"

"Did y'u know ain to face hio with them?"

"Go with theuess I did--a little," laughed Jean "Sometimes on a Sunday or a dance once in a blue moon, an' occasionally a ride"

"Shore that accounts," said the girl, wistfully

"For what?" asked Jean

"Y'ur bein' a gentleotten I had friends e lived in Texas Three years ago Shore it seeer Three miserable years in this damned country!"

Then she bit her lip, evidently to keep back further unwitting utterance to a total stranger And it was that biting of her lip that drew Jean's attention to her mouth It held beauty of curve and fullness and color that could not hide a certain sadness and bitterness Then the whole flashing brown face changed for Jean He saw that it was young, full of passion and restraint, possessing a pohich grew on him This, with her shaave a leap to Jean's interest

"Well, I reckon you flatter ain "I'h hunter an' fisherman-woodchopper an' horse tracker Never had all the school I needed--nor near enough coirls like you"

"Am I nice?" she asked, quickly

"You sure are," he replied, ss," she demanded, with a sudden flash of passion that thrilled him "Look at the holes" She showed rips and worn-out places in the sleeves of her buckskin blouse, through which gleamed a round, brown arm "I sehen I have anythin' to seith Look atAn' I have only one other to ed her cheeks,the lie to her action But shame could not check her violence now A dammed-up resented skirt alirl be nice when she has no clean, decent woman's clothes to wear?"