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trail。 It had just worn out from lack of use。 Every now and then
Jean would cross an old trail； and as he penetrated deeper into the
forest every damp or dusty spot showed tracks of turkey； deer； and
bear。 The amount of bear sign surprised him。 Presently his keen
nostrils were assailed by a smell of sheep； and soon he rode into
a broad sheep； trail。 From the tracks Jean calculated that the
sheep had passed there the day before。
An unreasonable antipathy seemed born in him。 To be sure he had been
prepared to dislike sheep； and that was why he was unreasonable。 But
on the other hand this band of sheep had left a broad bare swath；
weedless； grassless； flowerless； in their wake。 Where sheep grazed
they destroyed。 That was what Jean had against them。
An hour later he rode to the crest of a long parklike slope； where
new green grass was sprouting and flowers peeped everywhere。 The
pines appeared far apart； gnarled oak trees showed rugged and gray
against the green wall of woods。 A white strip of snow gleamed like
a moving stream away down in the woods。
Jean heard the musical tinkle of bells and the baa…baa of sheep and
the faint； sweet bleating of lambs。 As he road toward these sounds
a dog ran out from an oak thicket and barked at him。 Next Jean smelled
a camp fire and soon he caught sight of a curling blue column of smoke；
and then a small peaked tent。 Beyond the clump of oaks Jean encountered
a Mexican lad carrying a carbine。 The boy had a swarthy； pleasant face；
and to Jean's greeting he replied； 〃BUENAS DIAS。〃 Jean understood
little Spanish； and about all he gathered by his simple queries was
that the lad was not aloneand that it was 〃lambing time。〃
This latter circumstance grew noisily manifest。 The forest seemed
shrilly full of incessant baas and plaintive bleats。 All about the
camp； on the slope； in the glades； and everywhere； were sheep。 A few
were grazing； many were lying down； most of them were ewes suckling
white fleecy little lambs that staggered on their feet。 Everywhere
Jean saw tiny lambs just born。 Their pin…pointed bleats pierced the
heavier baa…baa of their mothers。
Jean dismounted and led his horse down toward the camp； where he
rather expected to see another and older Mexican； from whom he might
get information。 The lad walked with him。 Down this way the plaintive
uproar made by the sheep was not so loud。
〃Hello there！〃 called Jean； cheerfully； as he approached the tent。
No answer was forthcoming。 Dropping his bridle； he went on； rather
slowly； looking for some one to appear。 Then a voice from one side
startled him。
〃Mawnin'； stranger。〃
A girl stepped out from beside a pine。 She carried a rifle。 Her
face flashed richly brown； but she was not Mexican。 This fact； and
the sudden conviction that she had been watching him； somewhat
disconcerted Jean。
〃Beg pardonmiss；〃 he floundered。 〃Didn't expect； to see agirl。
。 。 。 I'm sort of lostlookin' for the Riman' thought I'd find a
sheep herder who'd show me。 I can't savvy this boy's lingo。〃
While he spoke it seemed to him an intentness of expression； a strain
relaxed from her face。 A faint suggestion of hostility likewise
disappeared。 Jean was not even sure that he had caught it； but there
had been something that now was gone。
〃Shore I'll be glad to show y'u；〃 she said。
〃Thanks； miss。 Reckon I can breathe easy now；〃 he replied；
〃It's a long ride from San Diego。 Hot an' dusty！ I'm pretty tired。
An' maybe this woods isn't good medicine to achin' eyes！〃
〃San Diego！ Y'u're from the coast？〃
〃Yes。〃
Jean had doffed his sombrero at sight of her and he still held it；
rather deferentially； perhaps。 It seemed to attract her attention。
〃Put on y'ur hat； stranger。 。 。 。 Shore I can't recollect when any
man bared his haid to me。 〃She uttered a little laugh in which
surprise and frankness mingled with a tint of bitterness。
Jean sat down with his back to a pine； and； laying the sombrero by
his side； he looked full at her； conscious of a singular eagerness；
as if he wanted to verify by close scrutiny a first hasty impression。
If there had been an instinct in his meeting with Colter； there was
more in this。 The girl half sat； half leaned against a log； with the
shiny little carbine across her knees。 She had a level； curious gaze
upon him； and Jean had never met one just like it。 Her eyes were
rather a wide oval in shape； clear and steady； with shadows of thought
in their amber…brown depths。 They seemed to look through Jean； and
his gaze dropped first。 Then it was he saw her ragged homespun skirt
and a few inches of brown； bare ankles； strong and round； and crude
worn…out moccasins that failed to hide the shapeliness； of her feet。
Suddenly she drew back her stockingless ankles and ill…shod little feet。
When Jean lifted his gaze again he found her face half averted and a
stain of red in the gold tan of her cheek。 That touch of embarrassment
somehow removed her from this strong； raw； wild woodland setting。 It
changed her poise。 It detracted from the curious； unabashed； almost
bold； look that he had encountered in her eyes。
〃Reckon you're from Texas；〃 said Jean； presently。
〃Shore am；〃 she drawled。 She had a lazy Southern voice； pleasant
to hear。 〃How'd y'u…all guess that？〃
〃Anybody can tell a Texan。 Where I came from there were a good many
pioneers an' ranchers from the old Lone Star state。 I've worked for
several。 An'； come to think of it； I'd rather hear a Texas girl talk
than anybody。〃
〃Did y'u know many Texas girls？〃 she inquired； turning again to face him。
〃Reckon I didquite a good many。〃
〃Did y'u go with them？〃
〃Go with them？ Reckon you mean keep company。 Why； yes； I guess I
dida little；〃 laughed Jean。 〃Sometimes on a Sunday or a dance once
in a blue moon； an' occasionally a ride。 〃
〃Shore that accounts；〃 said the girl； wistfully。
〃For what？ 〃 asked Jean。
〃Y'ur bein' a gentleman；〃 she replied； with force。 Oh； I've not
forgotten。 I had friends when we lived in Texas。 。 。 。 Three years
ago。 Shore it seems longer。 Three miserable years in this damned
country！〃
Then she bit her lip； evidently to keep back further unwitting
utterance to a total stranger。 And it was that biting of her lip
that drew Jean's attention to her mouth。 It held beauty of curve
and fullness and color that could not hide a certain sadness and
bitterness。 Then the whole flashing brown face changed for Jean。
He saw that it was young； full of passion and restraint； possessing
a power which grew on him。 This； with her shame and pathos and the
fact that she craved respect； gave a leap to Jean's interest。
〃Well； I reckon you flatter me；〃 he said； hoping to put her at her
ease again。 〃I'm only a rough hunter an' fisherman…woodchopper an'
horse tracker。 Never had all the school I needednor near enough
company of nice girls like you。〃
〃Am I nice？〃 she asked； quickly。
〃You sure are；〃 he replied； smiling。
〃In these rags；〃 she demanded； with a sudden flash of passion that
thrilled him。 〃Look at the holes。〃 She showed rips and worn…out
places in the sleeves of her buckskin blouse； through whic