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 "They don't invite to such affairs, just spread the news and they come. Yes, the open season for such rags will soon be on. Yes, I could go to a dance with Dale, and make love to him a little."

"No, no! no love-making anywhere! we'll draw the line at that."

Barrett discovered considerable alarm. At which Alma, looking very demure, nodded sagely.

"You'll make love to Cattle Kate," she said.

"Not on your life!" in great fervor of denial. "I'm not out to have any lady cuttin' notches in my ears with a gun."

"Oh well, then," said she.

"I know it wouldn't be a very pleasant thing for you, Alma, but all you've got to do is give Cattle Kate the slightest excuse to nail him for his frivolity. She'll do the rest."

"Dale used to want me to go to the dances with him, but he hasn't asked me lately. He used to be very mushy over me, it was a regular programme of his to ask me to marry him every two weeks."

"The devil it was!" said Barrett, looking so miserable that Alma laughed to cheer him up a bit.

"But nothing ever came of it," she sighed.

"I should hope not!" said he.

"I haven't been to one of the ranch dances for a long time, three or four years," she said, dropping her teasing and going back to the serious business in hand. "That was over at Four Corners, seven or eight miles back of where you boys are cutting hay."

"I've heard Dan mention it. Sort of community