years agoI'm twenty…five nowI went to work for my father。 He'she has business interests there。 I tried all kinds of inside jobs。 I couldn't please my father。 I guess I put no real heart in my work。 the fact was I didn't know how to work。 The governor and I didn't exactly quarrel； but he hurt my feelings； and I quit。 Six months or more ago I came West； and have knocked about from Wyoming southwest to the border。 I tried to find congenial work； but nothing came my way。 To tell you frankly； Mr。 Belding； I suppose I didn't much care。 I believe； though； that all the time I didn't know what I wanted。 I've learnedwell； just lately〃
〃What do you want to do？〃 interposed Belding。
〃I want a man's job。 I want to do things with my hands。 I want action。 I want to be outdoors。〃
Belding nodded his head as if he understood that； and he began to speak again； cut something short； then went on； hesitatingly：
〃Galeyou could go home againto the old man it'd be all right？〃
〃Mr。 Belding； there's nothing shady in my past。 The governor would be glad to have me home。 That's the only consolation I've got。 But I'm not going。 I'm broke。 I won't be a tramp。 And it's up to me to do something。〃
〃How'd you like to be a border ranger？〃 asked Belding； laying a hand on Dick's knee。 〃Part of my job here is United States Inspector of Immigration。 I've got that boundary line to patrolto keep out Chinks and Japs。 This revolution has added complications； and I'm looking for smugglers and raiders here any day。 You'll not be hired by the U。 S。 You'll simply be my ranger； same as Laddy and Jim； who have promised to work for me。 I'll pay you well； give you a room here； furnish everything down to guns； and the finest horse you ever saw in your life。 Your job won't be safe and healthy； sometimes； but it'll be a man's jobdon't mistake me！ You can gamble on having things to do outdoors。 Now； what do you say？〃
〃I accpet； and I thank youI can't say how much；〃 replied Gale； earnestly。
〃Good！ That's settled。 Let's go out and tell Laddy and Jim。〃
Both boys expressed satisfaction at the turn of affairs； and then with Belding they set out to take Gale around the ranch。 The house and several outbuildings were constructed of adobe； which； according to Belding； retained the summer heat on into winter； and the winter cold on into summer。 These gray…red mud habitations were hideous to look at； and this fact； perhaps； made their really comfortable interiors more vividly a contrast。 The wide grounds were covered with luxuriant grass and flowers and different kinds of trees。 Gale's interest led him to ask about fig trees and pomegranates； and especially about a beautiful specimen that Belding called palo verde。
Belding explained that the luxuriance of this desert place was owing to a few springs and the dammed…up waters of the Rio Forlorn。 Before he had come to the oasis it had been inhabited by a Papago Indian tribe and a few peon families。 The oasis lay in an arroyo a mile wide； and sloped southwest for some ten miles or more。
The river went dry most of the year； but enough water was stored in flood season to irrigate the gardens and alfalfa fields。
〃I've got one never…failing spring on my place；〃 said Belding。 〃Fine； sweet water！ You know what that means in the desert。 I like this oasis。 The longer I live here the better I like it。 There's not a spot in southern Arizona that'll compare with this valley for water or grass or wood。 It's beautiful and healthy。 Forlorn and lonely； yes； especially for women like my wife and Nell； but I like it。。。。And between you and me； boys； I've got something up my sleeve。 There's gold dust in the arroyos； and there's mineral up in the mountains。 If we only had water！ This hamlet has steadily grown since I took up a station here。 Why； Casita is no place beside Forlorn River。 Pretty soon the Southern Pacific will shoot a railroad branch out here。 There are possibilities； and I want you boys to stay with me and get in on the ground floor。 I wish this rebel war was over。。。。Well； here are the corrals and the fields。 Gale； take a look at that bunch of horses！〃
Belding's last remark was made as he led his companions out of shady gardens into the open。 Gale saw an adobe shed and a huge pen fenced by strangely twisted and contorted branches or trunks of mesquite； and； beyond these； wide； flat fields； greena dark； rich greenand dotted with beautiful horses。 There were whites and blacks； and bays and grays。 In his admiration Gale searched his memory to see if he could remember the like of these magnificent animals； and had to admit that the only ones he could compare with them were the Arabian steeds。
〃Every ranch loves his horses；〃 said Belding。 〃When I was in the Panhandle I had some fine stock。 But these are Mexican。 They came from Durango； where they were bred。 Mexican horses are the finest in the world； bar none。〃
〃Shore I reckon I savvy why you don't sleep nights；〃 drawled Laddy。 〃I see a Greaser out thereno； it's an Indian。〃
〃That's my Papago herdsman。 I keep watch over the horses now day and night。 Lord； how I'd hate to have Rojas or Salazarany of those bandit rebelsfind my horses！。。。Gale； can you ride？〃
Dick modestly replied that he could； according to the Eastern idea of horsemanship。
〃You don't need to be half horse to ride one of that bunch。 But over there in the other field I've iron…jawed broncos I wouldn't want you to tackleexcept to see the fun。 I've an outlaw I'll gamble even Laddy can't ride。〃
〃So。 How much'll you gamble？〃 asked Laddy； instantly。
The ringing of a bell； which Belding said was a call to supper； turned the men back toward the house。 Facing that way； Gale saw dark； beetling ridges rising from the oasis and leading up to bare； black mountains。 He had heard Belding call them No Name Mountains； and somehow the appellation suited those lofty； mysterious； frowning peaks。
It was not until they reached the house and were about to go in that Belding chanced to discover Gale's crippled hand。
〃What an awful hand！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Where the devil did you get that？〃
〃I stove in my knuckles on Rojas；〃 replied Dick。
〃You did that in one punch？ Say； I'm glad it wasn't me you hit！ Why didn't you tell me？ That's a bad hand。 Those cuts are full of dirt and sand。 Inflammation's setting in。 It's got to be dressed。 Nell！〃 he called。
There was no answer。 He called again； louder。
〃Mother； where's the girl？〃
〃She's there in the dining…room；〃 replied Mrs。 Belding。
〃Did she hear me？〃 he inquired； impatiently。
〃Of course。〃
〃Nell！〃 roared Belding。
This brought results。 Dick saw a glimpse of golden hair and a white dress in the door。 But they were not visible longer than a second。
〃Dad； what's the matter？〃 asked a voice that was still as sweet as formerly； but now rather small and constrained。
〃Bring the antiseptics； cotton； bandagesand things out here。 Hurry now。〃
Belding fetched a pail of water and a basin from the kitchen。 His wife followed him out； and； upon seeing Dick's hand； was all solicitude。 Then Dick heard light； quick footsteps； but he did not look up。
〃Nell； this is Mr。 GallDick Gale； who came with the boys last last night；〃 said Belding。 〃He's got an awful hand。 Got it punching that greaser Rojas。 I want you to dress it。。。。Gale； this is my step…daughter； Nell Burton； of whom I spoke。 She's some good when there's somebody sick or hurt。 Shove out your fist； my boy； and let her get at it。 Supper's nearly ready。〃
Dick felt that same strange； quickening heart throb； yet he had never been cooler in his life。 More than anything else in the world he wanted to look at Nell Burton； however； divining that the situation might be embarrassing to her； he refrained from looking up。 She began to bathe his injured knuckles。 He noted the softness； the deftness of her touch； and then it seemed her fingers were not quite as steady as they might have been。 Still； in a moment they appeared to become surer in their work。 She had beautiful hands； not too large； though certainly not small； and they were strong； brown； supple。 He observed next； with stealthy； upward…stealing glance； that she had rolled up her sleeves； exposing fine； round arms graceful in line。 Her skin was brownno； it was more gold than brown。 It had a wonderful clear tint。 Dick stoically lowered his eyes then； putting off as long as possible the alluring moment when he was to look into her face。 That would be a fateful moment。 He played with a certain strange joy of anticipation。 When； however； she sat down beside him and rested his injured hand in her lap as she cut bandages； she was so thrillingly near that he yielded to an irrepressible desire to look up。 She had a sweet； fair face warmly tinted with that same healthy golden…brown sunburn。 Her hair was light gold and abundant； a waving mass。 Her eyes were shaded by long； downcast lashes； yet through them he caught a gleam of blue。
Despite the stir within him； Gale； seeing she was now absorbed in her task； critically studied her with a second closer gaze。 She was a sweet； wholesome； joyous； pretty girl。
〃Shore it musta hurt？〃 replied Laddy； who sat an interested spectator。
〃Yes； I confess it did；〃 replied Dick； slowly； with his eyes on Nell's face。 〃But I didn't mind。〃
The girl's lashes swept up swiftly in surprise。 She had taken his words literally。 But the dark…blue eyes met his for only a fleeting second。 Then the warm tint in her cheeks turned as red as her lips。 Hurriedly she finished tying the bandage and rose to her feet。
〃I thank you；〃 said Gale； also rising。
With that Belding appeared in the doorway； and finding the operation concluded； called them in to supper。 Dick had the use of only one arm； and he certainly was keenly aware of the shy； silent girl across the table； but in spite of these considerable handicaps he eclipsed both hungry cowboys in the assault upon Mrs。 Belding's bounteous supper。 Belding talked； the cowboys talked more or less。 Mrs。 Belding put in a word now and then； and Dick managed to find brief intervals when it was possible for him to say yes or no。 He observed gratefully that no one round the table seemed to be aware