"You must love the sun," Johnny observed apathetically. "Lizards, even,
have got sense enough to stay in the shade such weather as this." He
rumpled his hair to let the faint breeze in to his scalp, and looked at
her. "You're red as a pickled beet at a picnic," he told her
ungraciously.

Mary V pulled together her lagging wits, marshaled her fighting forces,
and flaunted a war banner in the shape of a smile that was demure.

"Well, one must expect to make some sacrifices when one is working in a
good cause," she replied amiably, and paused.

"Yeh?" Johnny's eyes lost a little of their dullness. It is possible that
he recognized that war banner of hers. "One didn't expect to see one down
here--on a good cause."

"No? Well, you do see one, nevertheless. One is at work on an exhibit for
one's school, you see. Each of us girls was assigned a subject for
vacation work. Mine is 'Desert Glimpses'--a collection of pictures,
curios and so on, representing points of interest in the desert country.
I've a horned toad at home, and a blue-tailed lizard, and some pictures
of jack rabbits, with their ears attached to the frame, and quite a few
rattlesnake rattles. So to-day," she smiled again at him, "I rode down
here to take a picture of you!"

"Thanks," said Johnny, apparently unmoved. "I didn't know I was a point
of interest in your eyes; but seeing I am, I'm willing the girls should
have a picture of me framed. If you'll go out and sit in the shade of the
shack while I shave and doll up a little, you may take a picture. And