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made him a coward; although his heart had beaten a little faster at

this sudden recollection of the dangerous reputation of his host。



〃Go on;〃 said McKinstry。



〃The plain facts of the case are these;〃 continued Stacey; with

more confidence。  〃We have sold a strip of this property covering

the land in dispute between you and Harrison。  We are bound to put

our purchaser in peaceable possession。  Now to save time we are

willing to buy that possession of any man who can give it。  We are

told that you can。〃



〃Well; considerin' that for the last four years I've been fightin'

night and day agin them low…down Harrisons for it; I reckon you've

been lied to;〃 said McKinstry deliberately。  〃Whyexcept the

clearing on the north side; whar I put up a barn; thar ain't an

acre of it as hasn't been shifted first this side and then that as

fast ez I druv boundary stakes and fences; and the Harrisons pulled

'em up agin。  Thar ain't more than fifty acres ez I've hed a clear

hold on; and I wouldn't hev had that ef it hadn't bin for the barn;

the raisin' alone o' which cost me a man; two horses; and this yer

little finger。〃



〃Put us in possession of even that fifty acres; and WE'LL undertake

to hold the rest and eject those Harrisons from it;〃 returned

Stacey complacently。  〃You understand that the moment we've made a

peaceable entrance to even a foothold on your side; the Harrisons

are only trespassers; and with the title to back us we can call on

the whole sheriff's posse to put them off。  That's the law。〃



〃That ar the law?〃 repeated McKinstry meditatively。



〃Yes;〃 said Stacey。  〃So;〃 he continued; with a self…satisfied

smile to Cressy; 〃far from being hard on you; Mr。 McKinstry; we're

rather inclined to put you on velvet。  We offer you a fair price

for the only thing you can give usactual possession; and we help

you with your old grudge against the Harrisons。  We not only clear

them out; but we pay YOU for even the part they held adversely to

you。〃



Mr。 McKinstry passed his three whole fingers over his forehead and

eyes as if troubled by a drowsy aching。  〃Then you don't reckon to

hev anythin' to say to them Harrisons?〃



〃We don't propose to recognize them in the matter at all;〃 returned

Stacey。



〃Nor allow 'em anythin'?〃



〃Not a cent!  So you see; Mr。 McKinstry;〃 he continued magnanimously;

yet with a mischievous smile to Cressy; 〃there is nothing in this

amicable discussion that requires to be settled outside。〃



〃Ain't there?〃 said McKinstry; in a dull; deliberate voice; raising

his eyes for the second time to Stacey。  They were bloodshot; with

a heavy; hanging furtiveness; not unlike one of his own hunted

steers。  〃But I ain't kam enuff in yer。〃  He moved to the door with

a beckoning of his fateful hand。  〃Outside a minitEF you please。〃



Stacey started; shrugged his shoulders; and half defiantly stepped

beyond the threshold。  Cressy; unchanged in color or expression;

lazily followed to the door。



〃Wot;〃 said McKinstry; slowly facing Stacey; 〃wot ef I refoose?

Wot ef I say I don't allow any man; or any bank; or any compromise;

to take up my quo'r'lls?  Wot ef I say that low…down and mean as

them Harrisons is; they don't begin to be ez mean; ez low…down; ez

underhanded; ez sneakin' ez that yer compromise?  Wot ef I say that

ef that's the kind o' hogwash that law and snivelization offers me

for peace and quietness; I'll take the fightin'; and the law…

breakin'; and the sheriff; and all h…ll for his posse instead?  Wot

ef I say that?〃



〃It will only be my duty to repeat it;〃 said Stacey; with an

affected carelessness which; however; did not conceal his surprise

and his discomfiture。  〃It's no affair of mine。〃



〃Unless;〃 said Cressy; assuming her old position against the lintel

of the door; and smoothing the worn bear…skin that served as a mat

with the toe of her slipper; 〃unless you've mixed it up with your

other arbitration; you know。〃



〃Wot other arbitration?〃 asked McKinstry suddenly; with murky eyes。



Stacey cast a rapid; half indignant glance at the young girl; who

received it with her hands tucked behind her back; her lovely head

bent submissively forward; and a prolonged little laugh。



〃Oh nothing; Paw;〃 she said; 〃only a little private foolishness

betwixt me and the gentleman。  You'd admire to hear him talk; Paw

about other things than business。  He's just that chipper and gay。〃



Nevertheless; as with a muttered 〃Good…morning〃 the young fellow

turned away; she quietly brushed past her father; and followed him

with her hands still penitently behind her; and the rosy palms

turned upwardas far as the gate。  Her single long Marguerite

braid of hair trailing down her back nearly to the hem of her

skirt; appeared to accent her demure reserve。  At the gate she

shaded her eyes with her hand; and glanced upward。



〃It don't seem to be a good day for arbitrating。  A trifle early in

the season; ain't it?〃



〃Good…morning; Miss McKinstry。〃



She held out her hand。  He took it with an affected ease but

cautiously; as if it had been the velvet paw of a young panther who

had scratched him。  After all; what was she but the cub of the

untamed beast; McKinstry?  He was well out of it!  He was not

revengefulbut business was business; and he had given them the

first chance。



As his figure disappeared behind the buckeyes of the lane; Cressy

cast a glance at the declining sun。  She re…entered the house; and

went directly to her room。  As she passed the window; she could see

her father already remounted galloping towards the tules; as if in

search of that riparian 〃kam〃 his late interview had disturbed。  A

few straggling bits of color in the sloping meadows were the

children coming home from school。  She hastily tied a girlish sun…

bonnet under her chin; and slipping out of the back door; swept

like a lissom shadow along the line of fence until she seemed to

melt into the umbrage of the woods that fringed the distant north

boundary。





CHAPTER IX。





Meanwhile; unaware of her husband's sudden relapse to her old

border principles and of the visit that had induced it; Mrs。

McKinstry was slowly returning from a lugubrious recital of her

moods and feelings at the parson's。  As she crossed the barren flat

and reached the wooded upland midway between the school…house and

the ranch; she saw before her the old familiar figure of Seth Davis

lounging on the trail。  In her habitual loyalty to her husband's

feuds she would probably have stalked defiantly past him;

notwithstanding her late regrets of the broken engagement; but Seth

began to advance awkwardly towards her。  In fact; he had noticed

the tall; gaunt; plaid…shawled and holland…bonneted figure

approaching; and had waited for it。



As he seemed intent upon getting in her way she stopped and raised

her right hand warningly before her。  In spite of the shawl and the

sun…bonnet; suffering had implanted a rude Runic dignity to her

attitude。  〃Words that hev to be took back; Seth Davis;〃 she said

hastily; 〃hev passed between you and my man。  Out of my way; then;

that I may pass; too。〃



〃Not much betwixt you and me; Aunt Rachel;〃 he said with slouching

deprecation; using the old household title by which he had

familiarly known her。  〃I've nothin agin youand I kin prove it by

wot I'm yer to say。  And I ain't trucklin' to yer for myself; for

ez far ez me and your'n ez concerned;〃 he continued; with a

malevolent glance; 〃thar ain't gold enough in Caleforny to mak the

weddin' ring that could hitch me and Cress together。  I want to

tell you that you're bein' played; that you're bein' befooled and

bamboozled and honey…fogled。  Thet while you're groanin' at class…

meetin' and Hiram's quo'llin' with Dad; and Joe Masters waitin'

round to pick up any bone that's throwed him; that sneakin';

hypocritical Yankee school…master is draggin' your daughter to h…ll

with him on t

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