They found rest for the night at the ranch house. The place was wide and

hospitable. The girl looked about her with wonder on the comfortable

arrangements for work. If only her mother had had such a kitchen to work

in, and such a pleasant, happy home, she might have been living yet. There

was a pleasant-faced, sweet-voiced woman with gray hair whom the men

called "mother." She gave the girl a kindly welcome, and made her sit down

to a nice warm supper, and, when it was over, led her to a little room

where her own bed was, and told her she might sleep with her. The girl lay

down in a maze of wonder, but was too weary with the long ride to keep

awake and think about it.

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They slept, the two travellers, a sound and dreamless sleep, wherein

seemed peace and moonlight, and a forgetting of sorrows.

Early the next morning the girl awoke. The woman by her side was already

stirring. There was breakfast to get for the men. The woman asked her a

few questions about her journey.

"He's your brother, ain't he, dearie?" asked the woman as she was about to

leave the room.

"No," said the girl.

"O," said the woman, puzzled, "then you and he's goin' to be married in

the town."

"O, no!" said the girl with scarlet cheeks, thinking of the lady in the

automobile.

"Not goin' to be married, dearie? Now that's too bad. Ain't he any kind of

relation to you? Not an uncle nor cousin nor nothin'?"

"No."

"Then how be's you travellin' lone with him? It don't seem just right.

You's a sweet, good girl; an' he's a fine man. But harm's come to more'n

one. Where'd you take up with each other? Be he a neighbor? He looks like

a man from way off, not hereabouts. You sure he ain't deceivin' you,

dearie?"

The girl flashed her eyes in answer.

"Yes, I'm sure. He's a good man. He prays to our Father. No, he's not a

neighbor, nor an uncle, nor a cousin. He's just a man that got lost. We

were both lost on the prairie in the night; and he's from the East, and

got lost from his party of hunters. He had nothing to eat, but I had; so I

gave him some. Then he saved my life when a snake almost stung me. He's

been good to me."

The woman looked relieved.

"And where you goin', dearie, all 'lone? What your folks thinkin' 'bout to

let you go 'lone this way?"

"They're dead," said the girl with great tears in her eyes.

"Dearie me! And you so young! Say, dearie, s'pose you stay here with me.

I'm lonesome, an' there's no women near by here. You could help me and be

comp'ny. The men would like to have a girl round. There's plenty likely

men on this ranch could make a good home fer a girl sometime. Stay here

with me, dearie."




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