​​​​​Judy went whistling out of the back door and down towards the corral with Judy's movement It was nearly summer and next week school would be out how she loved summer there are exciting things always happening then people always came friends of her mother's from back in the east would always drift in and sometimes somebody would want to board with them for a while just to see what life on a Montanna Ranch was like and then the three new haymen could be absolutely counted to be here through the harvest season they weren't invariably fun and different every year Vagabond haymen they were always drifting around the country from job to job but then usually they were young and full of interesting talk and they always loved jokes she was dressed in her faded blue overalls and blouse with sandals on her feet while Judy walked with a free springing step out to the barn where she picked a bridle just then she went out to the corral gate and whistled to her horse when Easter came trotting up at once and Judy astride the top rail rubbed her mare's soft nose affectionately and talked out loud to her as she slipped the bridle over her head she said hallo there Easter old girl how about you can go on a gallop? it's Friday afternoon and I do not have to study for final exams until tomorrow so let's go now what do you say? as Easter neckered gently and tossed her head up and down as if were in agreement Judy loved Easter very much she was eighteen years old but she was still a good stepper they were both lively and safe it was not that Judy needed safety anymore it had been a long time since she started riding at that young age they were safe now as she slid down onto Easter's bare back and picked up the reins a few moments later she was flying out over the range headed for nowhere simply enjoying the freedom and swift movement of her ride it was the wind that blew her long dark bob straight back from her face and the May air still cool from the snow on the distant mountain peaks whipped the colour up into her cheeks it was when at last she drew the rein that she was bright eyed and glowing from the exercise as she said good girl Easter patting the mare's neck with her brown hand good going she paused for a minute gazing around at the familiar landscape it was the purple mountains that rimmed her father's land the patches of cultivated acres riening in the sun alfalfa hay Timothy wheat and sweet clover and the high rolling brown range where the air was very fragrant with the pungent odour of sagebrush she loved every inch of it with a fierce and loyal love usually just being there was enough but today she felt a longing to share this love with someone her own age she wished that someone was there with her at that moment to whom she could talk now that Bill her older brother was married and living down the road she felt the absence of a companion and then there was Dick Bill's chum throughout school and college for whom Bill had named his first baby Dick used to be at the house almost as much as Bill himself however Dick was now married too and lived even further away beyond Bill