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〃Cressy；〃 she said； 〃Dad's gone and left his Sharps' yer； d'ye mind
takin' it along to meet him； afore he passes the Boundary corner。
Ye might tell him the teacher's yer； wantin' to see him。〃
〃One moment；〃 said the master； as the young girl carelessly stepped
to the corner and lifted the weapon。 〃Let ME take it。 It's all on
my way back to school and I'll meet him。〃
Mrs。 McKinstry looked perturbed。 Cressy opened her clear eyes on
the master with evident surprise。 〃No； Mr。 Ford；〃 said Mrs。
McKinstry； with her former maternal manner。 〃Ye'd better not mix
yourself up with these yer doin's。 Ye've no call to do it； and
Cressy has； it's all in the family。 But it's outer YOUR line； and
them Harrison whelps go to your school。 Fancy the teacher takin'
weppins betwixt and between！〃
〃It's fitter work for the teacher than for one of his scholars； and
a young lady at that；〃 said Mr。 Ford gravely； as he took the rifle
from the hands of the half…amused； half…reluctant girl。 〃It's
quite safe with me； and I promise I shall deliver it into Mr。
McKinstry's hands and none other。〃
〃Perhaps it wouldn't be ez likely to be gin'rally noticed ez it
would if one of US carried it；〃 murmured Mrs。 McKinstry in
confidential abstraction； gazing at her daughter sublimely
unconscious of the presence of a third party。
〃You're quite right；〃 said the master composedly； throwing the
rifle over his shoulder and turning towards the door。 〃So I'll say
good…afternoon； and try and find your husband。〃
Mrs。 McKinstry constrainedly plucked at the folds of her coarse
gown。 〃Ye'll like a drink afore ye go；〃 she said； in an ill…
concealed tone of relief。 〃I clean forgot my manners。 Cressy；
fetch out that demijohn。〃
〃Not for me； thank you；〃 returned Mr。 Ford smiling。
〃Oh； I seeyou're temperance； nat'rally；〃 said Mrs。 McKinstry with
a tolerant sigh。
〃Hardly that；〃 returned the master； 〃I follow no rule； I drink
sometimesbut not to…day。〃
Mrs。 McKinstry's dark face contracted。 〃Don't you see； Maw；〃
struck in Cressy quickly。 〃Teacher drinks sometimes； but he don't
USE whiskey。 That's all。〃
Her mother's face relaxed。 Cressy slipped out of the door before
the master； and preceded him to the gate。 When she had reached it
she turned and looked into his face。
〃What did Maw say to yer about seein' me just now？〃
〃I don't understand you。〃
〃To your seein' me and Joe Masters on the trail？〃
〃She said nothing。〃
〃Humph；〃 said Cressy meditatively。 〃What was it you told her about
it？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Then you DIDN'T see us？〃
〃I saw you with some oneI don't know whom。〃
〃And you didn't tell Maw？〃
〃I did not。 It was none of my business。〃
He instantly saw the utter inconsistency of this speech in
connection with the reason he believed he had in coming。 But it
was too late to recall it； and she was looking at him with a bright
but singular expression。
〃That Joe Masters is the conceitedest fellow goin'。 I told him you
could see his foolishness。〃
〃Ah； indeed。〃
Mr。 Ford pushed open the gate。 As the girl still lingered he was
obliged to hold it a moment before passing through。
〃Maw couldn't quite hitch on to your not drinkin'。 She reckons
you're like everybody else about yer。 That's where she slips up on
you。 And everybody else； I kalkilate。〃
〃I suppose she's somewhat anxious about your father； and I dare say
is expecting me to hurry；〃 returned the master pointedly。
〃Oh； dad's all right；〃 said Cressy mischievously。 〃You'll come
across him over yon； in the clearing。 But you're looking right
purty with that gun。 It kinder sets you off。 You oughter wear
one。〃
The master smiled slightly； said 〃Good…by；〃 and took leave of the
girl； but not of her eyes； which were still following him。 Even
when he had reached the end of the lane and glanced back at the
rambling dwelling； she was still leaning on the gate with one foot
on the lower rail and her chin cupped in the hollow of her hand。
She made a slight gesture； not clearly intelligible at that
distance； it might have been a mischievous imitation of the way he
had thrown the gun over his shoulder； it might have been a wafted
kiss。
The master however continued his way in no very self…satisfied
mood。 Although he did not regret having taken the place of Cressy
as the purveyor of lethal weapons between the belligerent parties；
he knew he was tacitly mingling in the feud between people for whom
he cared little or nothing。 It was true that the Harrisons sent
their children to his school； and that in the fierce partisanship
of the locality this simple courtesy was open to misconstruction。
But he was more uneasily conscious that this mission； so far as
Mrs。 McKinstry was concerned； was a miserable failure。 The strange
relations of the mother and daughter perhaps explained much of the
girl's conduct； but it offered no hope of future amelioration。
Would the father； 〃worrited by stock〃 and boundary quarrelsa man
in the habit of cutting Gordian knots with a bowie knifeprove
more reasonable？ Was there any nearer sympathy between father and
daughter？ But she had said he would meet McKinstry in the
clearing： she was right； for here he was coming forward at a
gallop！
CHAPTER III。
When within a dozen paces of the master； McKinstry； scarcely
checking his mustang； threw himself from the saddle； and with a
sharp cut of his riata on the animal's haunches sent him still
galloping towards the distant house。 Then； with both hands deeply
thrust in the side pockets of his long； loose linen coat； he slowly
lounged with clanking spurs towards the young man。 He was thick…
set； of medium height； densely and reddishly bearded； with heavy…
lidded pale blue eyes that wore a look of drowsy pain； and after
their first wearied glance at the master； seemed to rest anywhere
but on him。
〃Your wife was sending you your rifle by Cressy；〃 said the master；
〃but I offered to bring it myself； as I thought it scarcely a
proper errand for a young lady。 Here it is。 I hope you didn't
miss it before and don't require it now；〃 he added quietly。
Mr。 McKinstry took it in one hand with an air of slightly
embarrassed surprise； rested it against his shoulder； and then with
the same hand and without removing the other from his pocket； took
off his soft felt hat； showed a bullet…hole in its rim； and
returned lazily； 〃It's about half an hour late； but them Harrisons
reckoned I was fixed for 'em and war too narvous to draw a clear
bead on me。〃
The moment was evidently not a felicitous one for the master's
purpose； but he was determined to go on。 He hesitated an instant；
when his companion； who seemed to be equally but more sluggishly
embarrassed； in a moment of preoccupied perplexity withdrew from
his pocket his right hand swathed in a blood…stained bandage； and
following some instinctive habit； attempted； as if reflectively； to
scratch his head with two stiffened fingers。
〃You are hurt；〃 said the master； genuinely shocked； 〃and here I am
detaining you。〃
〃I had my hand upso；〃 explained McKinstry； with heavy deliberation；
〃and the ball raked off my little finger after it went through my
hat。 But that ain't what I wanted to say when I stopped ye。 I
ain't just kam enough yet；〃 he apologized in the calmest manner；
〃and I clean forgit myself；〃 he added with perfect self…possession。
〃But I was kalkilatin' to ask you〃he laid his bandaged hand
familiarly on the master's shoulder〃if Cressy kem all right？〃
〃Perfectly；〃 said the master。 〃But shan't I walk on home with you；
and we can talk together after your wound is attended to？〃
〃And she looked purty？〃 continued McKinstry without moving。
〃Very。〃
〃And you thought them new store gownds of hers right peart？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the master。 〃Perhaps a little too fine for the school；
you know；〃 he added insinuatingly； 〃and〃
〃Not for hernot for her；〃 interrupted McKinstry。 〃I reckon
thar's more whar that cam from！ Ye needn't fear but that she kin
keep up that gait ez long ez Hiram McKinstry hez the runnin' of
her。〃
Mr。 Ford gazed hopelessly at the hideous ranch in the distance； at
the sky； and the trail before him； then his glance fell upon the
hand still upon his shoulder； and he struggled with a final effort。
〃At another time I'd like to have a long talk with you about your
daughter； Mr。 McKinstry。〃
〃Talk on；〃 said McKinstry； putting his wounded hand through the
master's arm。 〃I admire to hear you。 You're that kam； it does me
good。〃
Nevertheless the master was conscious that his own arm was scarcely
as firm as his companion's。 It was however useless to draw back
now； and with as much tact as he could command he relieved his mind
of its purpose。 Addressing the obtruding bandage before him； he
dwelt upon Cressy'