Show m THE FICTION ION THIRD RICHEST GIRL CORNER By Richard H. H Wilkinson F IT had happened back in Westchester Westchester West West- IF west west-I chester or most anywhere in the world except here on the edge of a high mesa at the rim of Death Valley it would have made the front pages of every newspaper inthe in inthe the country The reading public would have been delighted This was explainable for Joan Roberts was the third richest girl girlin girlin girlin in the United States and whatever what what- Minute ever happened to 3 Fiction her was news If the reporters had been on hand that day she had her face slapped the telegraph wires would have hum hum- med mcd If It they had known that theman theman the theman man who slapped her face was a cowhand editorial offices would have been thrown into a shambles Joan Roberts and Lanky Andrews who was the cowboy had ridden ridden away from the Wagon Wheel ranch that afternoon with the idea of watching the sunset from the rim of Howling Coyote Mesa This was not the first time they had ridden off oU alone together At first Joan thought Lanky's attitude of deference was a pose but later she decided he was acting quite natural The discovery delighted her Casually she had observed Lanky Andrews without appearIng appearing appearing appear appear- ing to do so She registered the fact that he was a good deal more handsome than you noticed noticed no no- at first glance Nothing about his manner or what he said was affected r 1 1 y yN yv v N t Lanky Andrews kissed Joan Joanas as effectively as she had ever been kissed Casually too she made inquiries about him and learned to her astonishment that he owned a Harvard diploma and a small cattle cattle cattle cat cat- tle ranch down on the Mojave Her frequent trips into the des- des rt with Lanky coupled with the knowledge she had a acquired c qui red gave Joan so to speak a new lease on life Up to now her general outlook outlook outlook out out- look was bitter She trusted no one She hated people who posed Lanky Andrews without knowing it gradually changed all that Q S SO O 0 Joan prolonged her visit and demanded Lanky's s services e r v i ice c e s smore smore more and more She tried to be benice benice benice nice to him tried to give the impression impression impression im im- that she appreciated what he was doing for her But Lanky remained the same He was a good dude wrangler He was dependable kind thoughtful courteous but never personal That is he was never personal until the evening they stood on the edge of Howling Coyote Mesa and watched the sun ease down into the desert Without turning her head Joan said said Its lovely And Lanky Andrews unexpectedly and without warning turned to her and said That sunsets sunset's a washout compared to you And he kissed her as effectively as Joan had ever been kissed V NO TUTOW OW LANKY was acting like A the men Joan knew and un un- un- un She acted on impulse She slapped his face lace Why you you you- he began began ana ana slapped her face lace a resounding crack Joan stared at him mouth open cheeks white How dare you By the same right you dare to slap me Lanky said easily You YOU apparently you apparently Mr Andrews An An- drews you dont don't know who I a am Im I'm the third richest girl in the United States So what Im I'm the best d dude wrangler wrangle r anywhere around Im I'm m just as human as you Just because youve you've got more dough than l doesn't give you any more rights or make e me any less feeling Why you you you Well what Cant Can't y you out think hank ni of t anything to say Ot Of course you cant Time 6 yoU learned a few things This time J Joan an didn't say ay any thing She J merely gaped at h him She was conscious Zi o of 1 only one thought one feeling one fear sear H He might no not t kiss hiss her again harf But hu he did did and the had to be satisfied newspaper with the They result were never told about the episode but the stor stork of subsequent events wa was plenty t make lovely bIg black hea headlines dimes |