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all？〃 she asked after a pause。
〃Wellthere's that solemn school…master； who cut me out of the
waltz with youthat Mr。 Ford。〃
Had he been a perfectly cool and impartial observer he would have
seen the slight tremor cross Cressy's soft eyelids even in profile；
followed by that momentary arrest of her whole face； mouth；
dimples； and eyes； which had overtaken it the night the master
entered the ball…room。 But he was neither； and it passed quickly
and unnoticed。 Her usual lithe but languid play of expression and
color came back； and she turned her head lazily towards the
speaker。 〃There's Paw coming。 I suppose you wouldn't mind giving
me a sample of your style of arbitrating with him； before you try
it on me？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 said Stacey； by no means displeased at the
prospect of having so pretty and intelligent a witness in the
daughter of what he believed would form an attractive display of
his diplomatic skill and graciousness to the father。 〃Don't go
away。 I've got nothing to say Miss Cressy could not understand and
answer。〃
The jingling of spurs； and the shadow of McKinstry and his shot…gun
falling at this moment between the speaker and Cressy； spared her
the necessity of a reply。 McKinstry cast an uneasy glance around
the apartment； and not seeing Mrs。 McKinstry looked relieved； and
even the deep traces of the loss of a valuable steer that morning
partly faded from his Indian…red complexion。 He placed his shot…
gun carefully in the corner； took his soft felt hat from his head；
folded it and put it in one of the capacious pockets of his jacket；
turned to his daughter； and laying his maimed hand familiarly on
her shoulder； said gravely； without looking at Stacey； 〃What might
the stranger be wantin'； Cress？〃
〃Perhaps I'd better answer that myself；〃 said Stacey briskly。 〃I'm
acting for Benham and Co。； of San Francisco； who have bought the
Spanish title to part of this property。 I〃
〃Stop there！〃 said McKinstry； in a voice dull but distinct。 He
took his hat from his pocket； put it on； walked to the corner and
took up his gun； looked at Stacey for the first time with narcotic
eyes that seemed to drowsily absorb his slight figure； then put the
gun back half contemptuously； and with a wave of his hand towards
the door； said： 〃We'll settle this yer outside。 Cress； you stop in
here。 There's man's talk goin' on。〃
〃But； Paw；〃 said Cressy； laying her hand languidly on her father's
sleeve without the least change of color or amused expression。
〃This gentleman has come over here on a compromise。〃
〃On aWHICH？〃 said McKinstry； glancing scornfully out of the door
for some rare species of mustang vaguely suggested to him in that
unfamiliar word。
〃To see if we couldn't come to some fair settlement；〃 said Stacey。
〃I've no objection to going outside with you； but I think we can
discuss this matter here just as well。〃 His fine feathers had not
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 t