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which makes tolerable the jealous caprices of the younger woman。
The struggle for rivalry is felt to be hopeless； the power of
imitation is gone。 Of her forgotten womanhood Mrs。 McKinstry
revived only a capacity to suffer meanly and inflict mean suffering
upon others。 In the ruined castle of her youth； and the falling in
of banqueting hall and bower； the dungeon and torture…chamber
appeared to have been left； or； to use her own metaphor； she had
querulously complained to the parson that； 〃Accordin' to some
folks； she mout hev bin the barren fig…tree e…lected to bear
persimmums。〃
Her methods were not entirely different from those employed by her
suffering sisterhood in like emergencies。 The unlucky Hiram；
〃worrited by stock；〃 was hardly placated or consoled by learning
from her that it was only the result of his own weakness； acting
upon the 'cussedness of the stock…dispersing Harrisons； the
perplexity into which he was thrown by the news of the new legal
claim to his land was not soothed by the suggestion that it was a
trick of that Yankee civilization to which he was meanly succumbing。
She who had always been a rough but devoted nurse in sickness was
now herself overtaken by vague irregular disorders which involved
the greatest care and the absence of all exciting causes。 The
attendance of McKinstry and Cressy at a 〃crazy quilting party〃 had
brought on 〃blind chills；〃 the importation of a melodeon for Cressy
to play on had superinduced an 〃innerd rash；〃 and a threatened
attack of 〃palsy creeps〃 had only been warded off by the timely
postponement of an evening party suggested by her daughter。 The old
nomadic instinct； morbidly excited by her discontent； caused her to
lay artful plans for a further emigration。 She knew she had the
germs of 〃mash fever〃 caught from the adjacent river； she related
mysterious information； gathered in 〃class meeting；〃 of the superior
facilities for stock raising on the higher foot…hills； she
resuscitated her dead and gone Missouri relations in her daily
speech； to a manifest invidious comparison with the living； she
revived even the incidents of her early married life with the same
baleful intent。 The acquisition of a few 〃biled shirts〃 by Hiram
for festive appearances with Cressy painfully reminded her that he
had married her in 〃hickory；〃 she further accented the change by
herself appearing in her oldest clothes； on the hypothesis that it
was necessary for some one to keep up the traditions of the past。
Her attitude towards Cressy would have been more decided had she
ever possessed the slightest influence over her； or had even
understood her with the intuitive sympathies of the maternal
relations。 Yet she went so far as to even openly regret the
breaking off of the match with Seth Davis； whose family； at least；
still retained the habits and traditions she revered； but she was
promptly silenced by her husband informing her that words 〃that had
to be tuk back〃 had already passed between him and Seth's father；
and that； according to those same traditions； blood was more likely
to be spilled than mingled。 Whether she was only withheld from
attempting a reconciliation herself through lack of tact and
opportunity remains to be seen。 For the present she encouraged
Masters's attentions under a new and vague idea that a flirtation
which distracted Cressy from her studies was displeasing to
McKinstry and inimical to his plans。 Blindly ignorant of Mr。
Ford's possible relations to her daughter； and suspecting nothing；
she felt towards him only a dull aversion as being the senseless
pivot of her troubles。 Seeing no one； and habitually closing her
ears to any family allusion to Cressy's social triumphs； she was
unaware of even the popular admiration their memorable waltz had
excited。
On the morning of the day that Uncle Ben had confided to the master
his ingenious plan for settling the boundary disputes； the barking
of McKinstry's yellow dog announced the approach of a stranger to
the ranch。 It proved to be Mr。 Staceynot only as dazzlingly
arrayed as when he first rose above Johnny Filgee's horizon； but
wearing； in addition to his jaunty business air； a look of
complacent expectation of the pretty girl whom he had met at the
ball。 He had not seen her for a month。 It was a happy inspiration
of his own that enabled him to present himself that morning in the
twin functions of a victorious Mercury and Apollo。
McKinstry had to be summoned from an adjacent meadow； while Cressy；
in the mean time； undertook to entertain the gallant stranger。
This was easily done。 It was part of her fascinations that；
disdaining the ordinary real or assumed ignorance of the ingenue of
her class； she generally exhibited to her admirers （with perhaps
the single exception of the master） a laughing consciousness of the
state of mind into which her charms had thrown them。 She understood
their passion if she could not accept it。 This to a bashful rustic
community was helpful； but in the main unsatisfactory； with advances
so promptly unmasked； the most strategic retreat was apt to become
an utter rout。 Leaning against the lintel of the door； her curved
hand shading the sparkling depths of her eyes； and the sunlight
striking down upon the pretty curves of her languid figure； she
awaited the attack。
〃I haven't seen you； Miss Cressy； since we danced togethera month
ago。〃
〃That was mighty rough papers；〃 said Cressy； who was purposely
dialectical to strangers； 〃considering that you trapsed up and down
the lane； past the house； twice yesterday。〃
〃Then you saw me？〃 said the young man； with a slightly discomfited
laugh。
〃I did。 And so did the hound； and so； I reckon； did Joe Masters
and the hired man。 And when you pranced back on the home stretch；
there was the hound； Masters； the hired man； and Maw all on your
trail； and Paw bringin' up the rear with a shot…gun。 There was
about a half a mile of you altogether。〃 She removed her hand from
her eyes to indicate with a lazily graceful sweep this somewhat
imaginative procession； and laughed。
〃You are certainly well guarded；〃 said Stacey hesitatingly； 〃and
looking at you； Miss Cressy；〃 he added boldly； 〃I don't wonder at
it。〃
〃Well； it IS reckoned that next to Paw's boundaries I'm pretty well
protected from squatters and jumpers。〃
Forceful and quaint as her language was； the lazy sweetness of her
intonation； and the delicate refinement of her face； more than
atoned for it。 It was unconventional and picturesque as her
gestures。 So at least thought Mr。 Stacey； and it emboldened him to
further gallantry。
〃Well； Miss Cressy； as my business with your father to…day was to
try to effect a compromise of his boundary claims； perhaps you
might accept my services in your own behalf。〃
〃Which means；〃 responded the young lady pertly； 〃the same thing to
ME as to Paw。 No trespassers but yourself。 Thank you； sir。〃 She
twirled lightly on her heel and dropped him that exaggerated
curtsey known to the school…children as a 〃cheese。〃 It permitted
in its progress the glimpse of a pretty little slipper which
completed his subjugation。
〃Well； if it's only a fair compromise；〃 he began laughingly。
〃Compromise means somebody giving up。 Who is it？〃 she asked。
The infatuated Stacey had reached the point of thinking this
repartee if possible more killing than his own。
〃Ha！ That's for Miss Cressy to say。〃
But the young lady leaning back against the lintel with the
comfortable ease of being irresponsibly diverted； sagely pointed
out that that was the function of the arbitrator。
〃Ah well； suppose we begin by giving up Seth Davis； eh？ You see
that I'm pretty well posted； Miss Cressy。〃
〃You alarm me；〃 said Cressy sweetly。 〃But I reckon he HAD given
up。〃
〃He was in the running that night at the ball。 Looked half savage
while I was dancing with you。 Wanted to eat me。〃
〃Poor Seth！ And he used to be SO particular in his food；〃 said the
witty Cressy。
Mr。 Stacey was convulsed。 〃And there's Mr。 DabneyUncle Ben；〃 he
continued； 〃eh？ Very quiet but very sly。 A dark horse； eh？
Pretends to take lessons for the sake of being near some one； eh？
Would he were a boy again because somebody else is a girl？〃
〃I should be frightened of you if you lived here always；〃 returned
Cressy with invincible naivete； 〃but perhaps then you wouldn't know
so much。〃
Stacey simply accepted this as a compliment。 〃And there's
Masters；〃 he said insinuatingly。
〃Not Joe？〃 said Cressy with a low laugh； turning her eyes to the
door。
〃Yes；〃 said Stacey with a quick； uneasy smile。 〃Ah！ I see we
mustn't drop HIM。 Is he out THERE？〃 he added； trying to follow the
direction of her eyes。
But the young girl kept her face studiously averted。 〃Is that
all？〃 she asked after a pause。
〃Wellthere's that solemn sc