"Wild cats!" said Charley. "Dick and I both have shot several but we can't get rid of them."
"Look here," exclaimed Roger. "I'm going to stay here all night."
Roger grinned. "Yes, but I'm more afraid to leave you two girls here alone."
"My good man, I've been staying here alone about every two months for four years. I'm not a bit afraid."
Roger looked at her keenly, but her deep eyes did not waver. "You may have got used to it," he said obstinately, "but I'll wager anything that when you first came you were just paralyzed with fear."
"I was indeed!" Charley shook her head as if in wonder at that early fear. "I used to barricade myself in the bedroom and slept with the little .22 at the head of the bed."
"I don't see how your brother--" began Roger.
"He _had_ to go," interrupted Charley. "Don't you try to prove that Dick isn't devoted to me, for he is. He had to see the doctor because he came out here with bad lungs. He's all cured of that now. No one could be more of a dear than Dick, when he's--well."
She spoke with such vehemence, leaning forward in her chair with such a depth of protest in her wide eyes that Roger was surprised.
"Good Lord, I wasn't criticizing Dick. I think he's a fine chap. Only I don't think a girl ought to be sleeping alone, twenty-five miles from the nearest neighbor."
"I'm safer here alone than I would be in St. Louis or Chicago," exclaimed Charley, leaning back in her chair with a little laugh. "Now tell me what you are going to do after your Sun Plant begins to pump water?"
"Try to get money interested in developing this and other waste countries. There are untold mineral riches in these ranges, if only there were a cheap way to get them out. Now don't get excited as Crazy Dutch did and shoot me up! By the way, he told me his name was Otto von Minden."
Charley nodded. "I believe he comes of good family. He speaks the finest kind of Berliner German. Poor old thing!"
Roger snorted. "I'll _poor_ him when I catch him! I'll have him committed to an asylum."
Charley laughed. "You'd have hard work getting that done. Asylums are rare here and every one is fond of the little German. I wish I knew as much as he does about German literature. Some day I'm going to Germany. It must be a wonderful country."