“You wanta remember you’re a li’l lady,” he reproved.  “You wouldn’t want to do anything you’d be sorry for, honeybug.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” she flushed, amusement rippling her face.  “Someone’s got to blow up that young man like a Dutch uncle, and I think I’m elected.  I’ll try not to think about being a lady; then I can do my full duty, Dad.  It’ll be fun to see how he takes it.”

“Now—­now,” he remonstrated.

“It’s all right to be proud,” she went on.  “I wouldn’t want to see him hold his head any lower.  But there’s no sense in being so offish that even his friends have to give him up.  And that’s what it’ll come to if he acts the way he does.  Folks will stand just so much.  Then they give up trying.”

“I reckon you’re right about that, Joy.”

“Of course I’m right.  You have to meet your friends halfway.”

“Well, if you talk to him don’t hurt his feelin’s.”

There was a glint of mirth in her eyes, almost of friendly malice.  “I’m going to worry him about my feelings, Dad.  He’ll not have time to think of his own.”

Joyce found her chance next day.  She met David Sanders in front of a drug-store.  He would have passed with a bow if she had let him.

“What does the oil expert Mr. Graham sent think about our property?” she asked presently, greetings having been exchanged.

“He hasn’t given out any official opinion yet, but he’s impressed.  The report will be favorable, I think.”

“Isn’t that good?”

“Couldn’t be better,” he admitted.

It was a warm day.  Joyce glanced in at the soda fountain and said demurely, “My, but it’s hot!  Won’t you come in and have an ice-cream soda on me?”

Dave flushed.  “If you’ll go as my guest,” he said stiffly.

“How good of you to invite me!” she accepted, laughing, but with a tint of warmer color in her cheeks.

Rhythmically she moved beside him to a little table in the corner of the drug-store.  “I own stock in the Jackpot.  You’ve got to give an accounting to me.  Have you found a market yet?”

“The whole Southwest will be our market as soon as we can reach it.”

“And when will that be?” she asked.

“I’m having some hauled to relieve the glut.  The railroad will be operating inside of six weeks.  We’ll keep Number Three capped till then and go on drilling in other locations.  Burns is spudding in a new well to-day.”

The clerk took their order and departed.  They were quite alone, not within hearing of anybody.  Joyce took her fear by the throat and plunged in.

“You mad at me, Mr. Sanders?” she asked jauntily.

“You know I’m not.”

“How do I know it?” she asked innocently.  “You say as little to me as you can, and get away from me as quick as you can.  Yesterday, for instance, you’d hardly say ‘Good-morning.’”

“I didn’t mean to be rude.  I was busy.”  Dave felt acutely uncomfortable.  “I’m sorry if I didn’t seem sociable.”