tempers--and manners--are so unstable. I'm sorry I forced my presence
upon you, and I promise you it won't occur again." She hesitated, and
then fired a parting shot which certainly was spiteful in the extreme.
"There's one good thing about it," she smiled, tartly, "I shall have
something interesting to write to Dr. Cecil."

With that she turned astonished Concho short around in the trail--and as
Chip gave Blazes a vicious jab with his spurs at the same instant, the
distance between them widened rapidly.

As Chip raced away over the prairie, he discovered a new and puzzling
kink in his temper. He had been angry with the Little Doctor for coming,
but it was nothing to the rage he felt when she turned back! He did not
own to himself that he wanted her beside him to taunt and to hurt with
his rudeness, but it was a fact, for all that. And it was a very surly
young man who rode into the Denson corral and threw a loop over the head
of the runaway.






CHAPTER IX.
Before the Round-up.



"The Little Doctor wants us all to come up t' the White House this
evening and have some music," announced Cal, bursting into the bunk