Lenore had intended to say good morning.  She changed her mind, however, at Kathleen’s naive speech, and darted back lest she be seen.  She felt the blood hot in her cheeks.  That awful, irrepressible Kathleen!  If she liked Dorn she would take possession of him.  And Kathleen was lovable, irresistible.  Lenore had a sudden thought that Kathleen would aid the good cause if she could be enlisted.  While Lenore ate her breakfast she listened to the animated conversation in the sitting-room.  Presently her father came in.

“Hello, Lenore!  Did you get up?” he greeted her, cheerily.

“I hardly ever did, it seems....  Dad, the day was something to face,” she said.

“Ah-huh!  It’s like getting up to work.  Lenore, the biggest duty of life is to hide your troubles....  Dorn looks like a human bein’ this mornin’.  The kids have won him.  I reckon he needs that sort of cheer.  Let them have him.  Then after a while you fetch him out to the wheat-field.  Lenore, our harvestin’ is half done.  Every day I’ve expected some trick or deviltry.  But it hasn’t come yet.”

“Are any of the other ranchers having trouble?” she inquired.

“I hear rumors of bad work.  But facts told by ranchers an’ men who were here only yesterday make little of the rumors.  All that burnin’ of wheat an’ timber, an’ the destruction of machines an’ strikin’ of farm-hands, haven’t hit Golden Valley yet.  We won’t need any militia here, you can bet on that.”

“Father, it won’t do to be over-confident,” she said, earnestly.  “You know you are the mark for the I.W.W. sabotage.  If you are not careful—­any moment—­”

Lenore paused with a shudder.

“Lass, I’m just like I was in the old rustlin’ days.  An’ I’ve surrounded myself with cowboys like Jake an’ Bill, an’ old hands who pack guns an’ keep still, as in the good old Western days.  We’re just waitin’ for the I.W.W.’s to break loose.”

“Then what?” queried Lenore.

“Wal, we’ll chase that outfit so fast it’ll be lost in dust,” he replied.

“But if you chase them away, it ’ll only be into another state, where they’ll make trouble for other farmers.  You don’t do any real good.”

“My dear, I reckon you’ve said somethin’ strong,” he replied, soberly, and went out.

Then Kathleen came bouncing in.  Her beautiful eyes were full of mischief and excitement.  “Lenorry, your new beau has all the others skinned to a frazzle,” she said.

For once Lenore did not scold Kathleen, but drew her close and whispered:  “Do you want to please me?  Do you want me to do everything for you?”

“I sure do,” replied Kathleen, with wonderful eyes.

“Then be nice, sweet, good to him.... make him love you....  Don’t tease him about my other beaux.  Think how you can make him like ’Many Waters.’”

“Will you promise—­everything?” whispered Kathleen, solemnly.  Evidently Lenore’s promises were rare and reliable.