“There’s some here.  I don’t know what it’s like.  Some songs and dances the boys fetched up for Bud.”

“What fun!” said Alice.  “And what an assortment!  Shall we try this?”

And she began to play a flimsy tune printed on a flimsy sheet that doubled and slid to the keys.  Lorry jumped up, spread it out, and stood holding a corner of it while she played.  Close to her, he was sensible of a desire to caress her hair, to kiss her vivid lips as she glanced up at him and smiled.  He had no idea then that she was deliberately enthralling him with every grace she possessed.

The fact that she rather liked him made her subtleties all the more potent.  It flattered her to see the frank admiration in his gray eyes.  She knew he was anything but “soft,” which made the game all the more alluring.  He was to leave soon—­to-morrow.  Meanwhile, she determined that he should remember her.

Late that evening Bronson and the others said good-night.  Alice, not Dorothy, asked Lorry when he was to leave.  His “some time to-morrow” sounded unnaturally indefinite.

He was standing in the doorway of his camp as the others entered Bronson’s cabin.  Alice Weston was the last to enter.  For an instant she stood in the lamplight that floated through the doorway, looking back toward him.  Impulsively he waved good-night.  Her attitude had seemed to call for it.  He saw her fingers flash to her lips.  She tilted her chin and threw him a kiss.

“Dog-gone the luck!” he growled as he entered his cabin.  And with the brief expletive he condemned his disloyalty to the sprightly, slender Dorothy; the Peter Pan of the Blue Mesa; the dream girl of that idle noon at the Big Spring.  The other girl—­well, she was just playing with him.

* * * * *

In view of Lorry’s training and natural carefulness it was especially significant that he decided next day that he had forgotten to lay in enough supplies for his journey south.  He would ride to Jason and pack in what he needed.  He had a fair excuse.  Bronson had recently borrowed some of his canned provisions.  He was well on his way to Jason that morning before the others had arisen.

He was back at the camp shortly after nine that night.  As he passed Bronson’s cabin he saw a light in the window.  Mrs. Weston was talking with Dorothy.  Lorry had hoped to catch a glimpse of Alice Weston.  He had been hoping all that day that he would see her again before he left.  Perhaps she was asleep.

As he passed the corral a greeting came from the darkness:—­

“Good-evening!  I thought you had gone.”

“I—­I didn’t see you,” he stammered.

Alice Weston laughed softly.  “Oh, I was just out here looking at the stars.  It’s cooler out here.  Then you changed your mind about going?”

“Nope.  I had to go to Jason for grub.  I’m going to-morrow.”

“Oh, I see!  We thought you had gone.”