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drove on； ever on； into the desert。
By grey of the early summer dawn they arrived。 The girl wakened；
descended； smiling uncertainly at Susie O'Toole； blinking somnolently at
her surroundings。 Susie put her to bed in the little southwest room where
hung the shiny Colt's forty…five in its worn leather 〃Texas…style〃 holster。
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She murmured incoherent thanks and sank again to sleep； overcome by the
fatigue of unaccustomed travelling； by the potency of the desert air； by the
excitement of anticipation to which her nerves had long been strung。
Senor Johnson did not sleep。 He was tough； and used to it。 He lit a
cigar and rambled about； now reading the newspapers he had brought with
him； now prowling softly about the building； now visiting the corrals and
outbuildings； once even the thousand…acre pasture where his saddle…horse
knew him and came to him to have its forehead rubbed。 The dawn broke
in good earnest； throwing aside its gauzy draperies of mauve。 Sang； the
Chinese cook； built his fire。 Senor Johnson forbade him to clang the
rising bell； and himself roused the cow…punchers。 The girl slept on。
Senor Johnson tip…toed a dozen times to the bedroom door。 Once he
ventured to push it open。 He looked long within； then shut it softly and
tiptoed out into the open； his eyes shining。 〃Jed；〃 he said to his
foreman； 〃you don't know how it made me feel。 To see her lying there so
pink and soft and pretty； with her yaller hair all tumbled about and a little
smile on her there in my old bed； with my old gun hanging over her that
wayBy Heaven； Jed； it made me feel almost HOLY！〃
CHAPTER SIX THE WAGON TIRE
About noon she emerged from the room； fully refreshed and wide
awake。 She and Susie O'Toole had unpacked at least one of the trunks；
and now she stood arrayed in shirtwaist and blue skirt。 At once she
stepped into the open air and looked about her with considerable curiosity。
〃So this is a real cattle ranch；〃 was her comment。 Senor Johnson
was at her side pressing on her with boyish eagerness the sights of the
place。 She patted the stag hounds and inspected the garden。 Then；
confessing herself hungry； she obeyed with alacrity Sang's call to an early
meal。 At the table she ate coquettishly； throwing her birdlike side glances
at the man opposite。 〃I want to see a real cowboy；〃 she announced； as
she pushed her chair back。 〃Why； sure！〃 cried Senor Johnson
joyously。 〃Sang！ hi； Sang！ Tell Brent Palmer to step in here a minute。〃
After an interval the cowboy appeared； mincing in on his high…heeled
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boots； his silver spurs jingling； the fringe of his chaps impacting softly on
the leather。 He stood at ease； his broad hat in both hands； his dark； level
brows fixed on his chief。 〃Shake hands with Mrs。 Johnson； Brent。 I
called you in because she said she wanted to see a real cow…puncher。〃
〃Oh； BUCK！〃 cried the woman。 For an instant the cow…puncher's
level brows drew together。 Then he caught the woman's glance fair。 He
smiled。 〃Well； I ain't much to look at；〃 he proffered。 〃That's not
for you to say； sir；〃 said Estrella； recovering。 〃Brent； here； gentled
your pony for you；〃 exclaimed Senor Johnson。 〃Oh；〃 cried Estrella；
〃have I a pony？ How nice。 And it was so good of you； Mr。 Brent。 Can't
I see him？ I want to see him。 I want to give him a piece of sugar。〃
She fumbled in the bowl。 〃Sure you can see him。 I don't know as
he'll eat sugar。 He ain't that educated。 Think you could teach him to eat
sugar； Brent？〃 〃I reckon；〃 replied the cowboy。
They went out toward the corral； the cowboy joining them as a matter
of course。 Estrella demanded explanations as she went along。 Their
progress was leisurely。 The blindfolded pump mule interested her。
〃And he goes round and round that way all day without stopping；
thinking he's really getting somewhere！〃 she marvelled。 〃I think that's a
shame！ Poor old fellow； to get fooled that way！〃 〃It is some
foolish；〃 said Brent Palmer； 〃but he ain't any worse off than a cow…pony
that hikes out twenty mile and then twenty back。〃
〃No； I suppose not；〃 admitted Estrella。 〃And we got to have
water； you know；〃 added Senor Johnson。 Brent rode up the sorrel
bareback。 The pretty animal； gentle as a kitten； nevertheless planted his
forefeet strongly and snorted at Estrella。 〃I reckon he ain't used to the
sight of a woman；〃 proffered the Senor； disappointed。 〃He'll get used to
you。 Go up to him soft…like and rub him between the eyes。〃'
Estrella approached； but the pony jerked back his head with every
symptom of distrust。 She forgot the sugar she had intended to offer him。
〃He's a perfect beauty；〃 she said at last； 〃but； my！ I'd never dare ride him。
I'm awful scairt of horses。〃 〃Oh； he'll come around all right；〃 assured
Brent easily。 〃I'll fix him。〃 〃Oh； Mr。 Brent；〃 she exclaimed； 〃don't
think I don't appreciate what you've done。 I'm sure he's really just as
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gentle as he can be。 It's only that I'm foolish。〃 〃I'll fix him；〃 repeated
Brent。
The two men conducted her here and there； showing her the various
institutions of the place。 A man bent near the shed nailing a shoe to a
horse's hoof。
〃So you even have a blacksmith！〃 said Estrella。 Her guides laughed
amusedly。
〃Tommy； come here！〃 called the Senor。
The horseshoer straightened up and approached。 He was a lithe；
curly…haired young boy； with a reckless； humorous eye and a smooth face；
now red from bending over。 〃Tommy； shake hands with Mrs。
Johnson；〃 said the Senor。 〃Mrs。 Johnson wants to know if you're the
blacksmith。〃 He exploded in laughter。 〃Oh； BUCK！〃 cried Estrella
again。 〃No； ma'am；〃 answered the boy directly； 〃I'm just tacking a
shoe on Danger； here。 We all does our own blacksmithing。〃 His
roving eye examined her countenance respectfully； but with admiration。
She caught the admiration and returned it； covertly but unmistakably；
pleased that her charms were appreciated。 They continued their
rounds。 The sun was very hot and the dust deep。 A woman would have
known that these things distressed Estrella。 She picked her way through
the debris； she dropped her head from the burning； she felt her delicate
garments moistening with perspiration； her hair dampening； the dust sifted
up through the air。 Over in the large corral a bronco buster； assisted by
two of the cowboys； was engaged in roping and throwing some wild
mustangs。 The sight was wonderful； but here the dust billowed in clouds。
〃I'm getting a little hot and tired；〃 she confessed at last。 〃I think I'll go to
the house。〃 But near the shed she stopped again； interested in spite of
herself by a bit of repairing Tommy had under way。 The tire of a wagon
wheel had been destroyed。 Tommy was mending it。 On the ground lay
a fresh cowhide。 From this Tommy was cutting a wide strip。 As she
watched lie measured the strip around the circumference of the wheel。
〃He isn't going to make a tire of that！〃 she exclaimed； incre