recollection of past days。 〃I wonder if she'll like the
country？〃 he hazarded。 But Senor Johnson turned on him his steady
eyes； filled with the great glory of the desert。 〃Like the country！〃 he
marvelled slowly。 〃Of course！ Why shouldn't she？〃
CHAPTER FIVE THE ARRIVAL
The Overland drew into Willets； coated from engine to observation
with white dust。 A porter； in strange contrast of neatness； flung open
the vestibule； dropped his little carpeted step； and turned to assist someone。
A few idle passengers gazed out on the uninteresting； flat frontier town。
Senor Johnson caught his breath in amazement。 〃God！ Ain't she just
like her picture！〃 he exclaimed。 He seemed to find this astonishing。
For a moment he did not step forward to claim her； so she stood looking
about her uncertainly； her leather suit…case at her feet。 She was
indeed like the photograph。 The same full…curved； compact little figure；
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the same round face； the same cupid's bow mouth； the same appealing；
large eyes； the same haze of doll's hair。 In a moment she caught sight of
Senor Johnson and took two steps toward him； then stopped。 The Senor
at once came forward。
〃You're Mr。 Johnson； ain't you？〃 she inquired； thrusting her little
pointed chin forward； and so elevating her baby…blue eyes to his。
〃Yes； ma'am；〃 he acknowledged formally。 Then； after a moment's pause：
〃I hope you're well。〃 〃Yes； thank you。〃 The station loungers；
augmented by all the ranchmen and cowboys in town； were examining her
closely。 She looked at them in a swift side glance that seemed to gather
all their eyes to hers。 Then； satisfied that she possessed the universal
admiration； she returned the full force of her attention to the man before
her。 〃Now you give me your trunk checks；〃 he was saying； 〃and then
we'll go right over and get married。〃 〃Oh！〃 she gasped。 〃That's
right； ain't it？〃 he demanded。 〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 she agreed faintly。
A little subdued； she followed him to the clergyman's house； where； in
the presence of Goodrich； the storekeeper； and the preacher's wife； the two
were united。 Then they mounted the buckboard and drove from town。
Senor Johnson said nothing； because he knew of nothing to say。 He
drove skilfully and fast through the gathering dusk。 It was a hundred
miles to the home ranch； and that hundred miles； by means of five relays
of horses already arranged for； they would cover by morning。 Thus they
would avoid the dust and heat and high winds of the day。 The sweet
night fell。 The little desert winds laid soft fingers on their checks。
Overhead burned the stars； clear； unflickering； like candles。 Dimly could
be seen the horses； their flanks swinging steadily in the square trot。
Ghostly bushes passed them； ghostly rock elevations。 Far； in
indeterminate distance； lay the outlines of the mountains。 Always； they
seemed to recede。 The plain； all but invisible； the wagon trail quite so；
the depths of spacethese flung heavy on the soul their weight of
mysticism。 The woman； until now bolt upright in the buckboard seat；
shrank nearer to the man。 He felt against his sleeve the delicate contact
of her garment and thrilled to the touch。 A coyote barked sharply from a
neighbouring eminence； then trailed off into the long…drawn； shrill howl of
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his species。 〃What was that？〃 she asked quickly； in a subdued
voice。 〃A coyoteone of them little wolves；〃 he explained。
The horses' hoofs rang clear on a hardened bit of the alkali crust； then
dully as they encountered again the dust of the plain。 Vast； vague；
mysterious in the silence of night； filled with strange influences breathing
through space like damp winds； the desert took them to the heart of her
great spaces。 〃Buck；〃 she whispered； a little tremblingly。 It was the
first time she had spoken his name。 〃What is it？〃 he asked； a new
note in his voice。 But for a time she did not reply。 Only the
contact against his sleeve increased by ever so little。 〃Buck；〃 she
repeated； then all in a rush and with a sob； 〃Oh； I'm afraid。〃
Tenderly the man drew her to him。 Her head fell against his shoulder and
she hid her eyes。 〃There； little girl；〃 he reassured her； his big voice
rich and musical。 〃There's nothing to get scairt of； I'll take care of you。
What frightens you； honey？〃
She nestled close in his arm with a sigh of half relief。 〃I don't
know；〃 she laughed； but still with a tremble in her tones。 〃It's all so big
and lonesome and strangeand I'm so little。〃 〃There； little girl；〃 he
repeated。 They drove on and on。 At the end of two hours they
stopped。 Men with lanterns dazzled their eyes。 The horses were
changed； and so out again into the night where the desert seemed to
breathe in deep； mysterious exhalations like a sleeping beast。 Senor
Johnson drove his horses masterfully with his one free hand。 The road
did not exist； except to his trained eves。 They seemed to be swimming
out； out； into a vapour of night with the wind of their going steady against
their faces。 〃Buck；〃 she murmured； 〃I'm so tired。〃 He tightened
his arm around her and she went to sleep； half…waking at the ranches
where the relays waited； dozing again as soon as the lanterns dropped
behind。 And Senor Johnson； alone with his horses and the solemn stars；
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。〃
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