“A-huh! What are you doin’ here, then?”
“Because I love the open and love my friends who also enjoy it.”
“What’s love?” flung back the mountain girl.
“Why—I—I—Perhaps you had better ask Emma. Old maids are not supposed to be authorities on that subject,” answered Miss Briggs, her color rising.
“Love? Why, Judy, love is the most wonderful thing in the world,” cried Emma dramatically, as Judy turned to her inquiringly. Emma’s eyes were rolling and she registered extreme emotion, greatly to the amusement of her companions.
“My gosh! Ain’t goin’ to have a fit, be ye?” exclaimed Judy, whereat the Overland Riders shouted.
“Have you ever been in love?” interjected Nora.
“I don’t know, Nora. Once I seen a fellow in a play in a tent over at Carrago, and he was some man, believe me. I jest sat there and looked at him and my heart got so wiggly that I couldn’t do nothin’ with it at all. But thet wan’t nothin’ to what happened later in the day when I met him on the street. He seen me lookin’ at him an’ smiled an’ bobbed his hat to me. My gosh! I near fainted. I sure thought I was goin’ to die right there. Never had no such feelin’ in all my life.”
“Yes?” urged the girls, doing their best to keep from laughing.
“Did you get acquainted with him?” asked Grace.