“That’s a harvest kiss, my lass,” he said, with his big laugh.  “Best of the whole year!”

“It sure is, dad,” she replied.  “But I’ll wait till you wash your face before I return it.  How’s the harvest going?”

“We had trouble to-day,” he said.

“What happened?”

“Nothin’ much, but it was annoyin’.  We had some machines crippled, an’ it took most of the day to fix them....  We’ve got a couple of hundred hands at work.  Some of them are I.W.W.’s, that’s sure.  But they all swear they are not an’ we have no way to prove it.  An’ we couldn’t catch them at their tricks....  All the same, we’ve got half your big wheat-field cut.  A thousand acres, Lenore!...  Some of the wheat ’ll go forty bushels to the acre, but mostly under that.”

“Better than last harvest,” Lenore replied, gladly.  “We are lucky....  Father, did you hear any news from the Bend?”

“Sure did,” he replied, and patted her head.  “They sent me a message up from Vale....  Young Dorn wired from Kilo he’d be here to-day.”

“To-day!” echoed Lenore, and her heart showed a tendency to act strangely.

“Yep.  He’ll be here soon,” said Anderson, cheerfully.  “Tell your mother.  Mebbe he’ll come for supper.  An’ have a room ready for him.”

“Yes, father,” replied Lenore.

“Wal, if Dorn sees you as you look now—­sleeves rolled up, apron on, flour on your nose—­a regular farmer girl—­an’ sure huggable, as Jake says—­you won’t have no trouble winnin’ him.”

“How you talk!” exclaimed Lenore, with burning cheeks.  She ran to her room and made haste to change her dress.

But Dorn did not arrive in time for supper.  Eight o’clock came without his appearing, after which, with keen disappointment, Lenore gave up expecting him that night.  She was in her father’s study, helping him with the harvest notes and figures, when Jake knocked and entered.

“Dorn’s here,” he announced.

“Good.  Fetch him in,” replied Anderson.

“Father, I—­I’d rather go,” whispered Lenore.

“You stay right along by your dad,” was his reply, “an’ be a real Anderson.”

When Lenore heard Dorn’s step in the hall the fluttering ceased in her heart and she grew calm.  How glad she would be to see him!  It had been the suspense of waiting that had played havoc with her feelings.

Then Dorn entered with Jake.  The cowboy set down a bag and went out.  He seemed strange to Lenore and very handsome in his gray flannel suit.

As he stepped forward in greeting Lenore saw how white he was, how tragic his eyes.  There had come a subtle change in his face.  It hurt her.

“Miss Anderson, I’m glad to see you,” he said, and a flash of red stained his white cheeks.  “How are you?”

“Very well, thank you,” she replied, offering her hand.  “I’m glad to see you.”

They shook hands, while Anderson boomed out:  “Hello, son!  I sure am glad to welcome you to ‘Many Waters.’”