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of its purpose。 Addressing the obtruding bandage before him； he
dwelt upon Cressy's previous attitude in the school； the danger of
any relapse； the necessity of her having a more clearly defined
position as a scholar； and even the advisability of her being
transferred to a more advanced school with a more mature teacher of
her own sex。 〃This is what I wished to say to Mrs。 McKinstry to…
day；〃 he concluded； 〃but she referred me to you。〃
〃In course； in course；〃 said McKinstry； nodding complacently。
〃She's a good woman in and around the ranch； and in any doin's o'
this kind；〃 he lightly waved his wounded arm in the air； 〃there
ain't a better； tho' I say it。 She was Blair Rawlins' darter； she
and her brother Clay bein' the only ones that kem out safe arter
their twenty years' fight with the McEntees in West Kaintuck。 But
she don't understand gals ez you and me do。 Not that I'm much； ez
I orter be more kam。 And the old woman jest sized the hull thing
when she said SHE hadn't any hand in Cressy's engagement。 No more
she had！ And ez far ez that goes； no more did me； nor Seth Davis；
nor Cressy。〃 He paused； and lifting his heavy…lidded eyes to the
master for the second time； said reflectively； 〃Ye mustn't mind my
tellin' yeez betwixt man and manthat THE one ez is most
responsible for the makin' and breakin' o' that engagement is YOU！〃
〃Me！〃 said the master in utter bewilderment。
〃You！〃 repeated McKinstry quietly； reinstalling the hand Ford had
attempted to withdraw。 〃I ain't sayin' ye either know'd it or
kalkilated on it。 But it war so。 Ef ye'd hark to me； and meander
on a little； I'll tell ye HOW it war。 I don't mind walkin' a piece
YOUR way； for if we go towards the ranch； and the hounds see me；
they'll set up a racket and bring out the old woman； and then good…
by to any confidential talk betwixt you and me。 And I'm； somehow；
kammer out yer。〃
He moved slowly down the trail； still holding Ford's arm
confidentially； although； owing to his large protecting manner； he
seemed to offer a ridiculous suggestion of supporting HIM with his
wounded member。
〃When you first kem to Injin Spring；〃 he began； 〃Seth and Cressy
was goin' to school； boy and girl like； and nothin' more。 They'd
known each other from babiesthe Davises bein' our neighbors in
Kaintuck； and emigraten' with us from St。 Joe。 Seth mout hev
cottoned to Cress； and Cress to him； in course o' time； and there
wasn't anythin' betwixt the families to hev kept 'em from marryin'
when they wanted。 But there never war any words passed； and no
engagement。〃
〃But；〃 interrupted Ford hastily； 〃my predecessor； Mr。 Martin；
distinctly told me that there was； and that it was with YOUR
permission。〃
〃That's only because you noticed suthin' the first day you looked
over the school with Martin。 'Dad；' sez Cress to me； 'that new
teacher's very peart； and he's that keen about noticin' me and Seth
that I reckon you'd better giv out that we're engaged。' 'But are
you？' sez I。 'It'll come to that in the end；' sez Cress； 'and if
that yer teacher hez come here with Northern ideas o' society； it's
just ez well to let him see Injin Spring ain't entirely in the
woods about them things either。' So I agreed； and Martin told you
it was all right； Cress and Seth was an engaged couple； and you was
to take no notice。 And then YOU ups and objects to the hull thing；
and allows that courtin' in school； even among engaged pupils；
ain't proper。〃
The master turned his eyes with some uneasiness to the face of
Cressy's father。 It was heavy but impassive。
〃I don't mind tellin' you； now that it's over； what happened。 The
trouble with me； Mr。 Ford； isI ain't kam！ and YOU air； and that's
what got me。 For when I heard what you'd said； I got on that
mustang and started for the school…house to clean you out and giv'
you five minutes to leave Injin Spring。 I don't know ez you
remember that day。 I'd kalkilated my time so ez to ketch ye comin'
out o' school； but I was too airly。 I hung around out o' sight；
and then hitched my hoss to a buckeye and peeped inter the winder
to hev a good look at ye。 It was very quiet and kam。 There was
squirrels over the roof； yellow…jackets and bees dronin' away； and
kinder sleeping…like all around in the air； and jay…birds
twitterin' in the shingles； and they never minded me。 You were
movin' up and down among them little gals and boys； liftin' up
their heads and talkin' to 'em softly and quiet like； ez if you was
one of them yourself。 And they looked contented and kam。 And
onctI don't know if YOU remember ityou kem close up to the
winder with your hands behind you； and looked out so kam and quiet
and so far off； ez if everybody else outside the school was miles
away from you。 It kem to me then that I'd given a heap to hev had
the old woman see you thar。 It kem to me； Mr。 Ford； that there
wasn't any place for ME thar； and it kem to me； tooand a little
rough likethat mebbee there wasn't any place there for MY Cress
either！ So I rode away without disturbin' you nor the birds nor
the squirrels。 Talkin' with Cress that night； she said ez how it
was a fair sample of what happened every day； and that you'd always
treated her fair like the others。 So she allowed that she'd go
down to Sacramento； and get some things agin her and Seth bein'
married next month； and she reckoned she wouldn't trouble you nor
the school agin。 Hark till I've done； Mr。 Ford；〃 he continued； as
the young man made a slight movement of deprecation。 〃Well； I
agreed。 But arter she got to Sacramento and bought some fancy
fixin's； she wrote to me and sez ez how she'd been thinkin' the
hull thing over； and she reckoned that she and Seth were too young
to marry； and the engagement had better be broke。 And I broke it
for her。〃
〃But how？〃 asked the bewildered master。
〃Gin'rally with this gun；〃 returned McKinstry with slow gravity；
indicating the rifle he was carrying； 〃for I ain't kam。 I let on
to Seth's father that if I ever found Seth and Cressy together
again； I'd shoot him。 It made a sort o' coolness betwixt the
families； and hez given some comfort to them low…down Harrisons；
but even the law； I reckon； recognizes a father's rights。 And ez
Cress sez； now ez Seth's out o' the way； thar ain't no reason why
she can't go back to school and finish her eddication。 And I
reckoned she was right。 And we both agreed that ez she'd left
school to git them store clothes； it was only fair that she'd give
the school the benefit of 'em。〃
The case seemed more hopeless than ever。 The master knew that the
man beside him might hardly prove as lenient to a second objection
at his hand。 But that very reason； perhaps； impelled him； now that
he knew his danger； to consider it more strongly as a duty； and his
pride revolted from a possible threat underlying McKinstry's
confidences。 Nevertheless he began gently：
〃But you are quite sure you won't regret that you didn't avail
yourself of this broken engagement； and your daughter's outfitto
send her to some larger boarding…school in Sacramento or San
Francisco？ Don't you think she may find it dull； and soon tire of
the company of mere children when she has already known the
excitement of〃he was about to say 〃a lover；〃 but checked himself；
and added； 〃a young girl's freedom？〃
〃Mr。 Ford；〃 returned McKinstry； with the slow and fatuous
misconception of a one…ideaed man； 〃when I said just now that；
lookin' inter that kam； peaceful school of yours； I didn't find a
place for Cress； it warn't because I didn't think she OUGHTER hev a
place thar。 Thar was that thar wot she never had ez a little girl
with me and the old woman； and that she couldn't find ez a grownd
up girl in any boarding…schoolthe home of a child； that kind o'
innocent foolishness that I sometimes reckon must hev slipped outer
our emigrant wagon comin' across the plains； or got left behind at
St。 Joe。 She was a grownd girl fit to marry afore she was a child。
She had young fellers a…sparkin' her afore she ever played with 'em
ez boy and girl。 I don't mind tellin' you that it wern't in the
natur of Blair Rawlins' darter to teach her own darter any better；
for all she's been a mighty help to me。 So if it's all the same to
you； Mr。 Ford； we won't talk about a grownd up school； I'd rather
Cress be a little girl again among them other children。 I should
be a powerful sight more kam if I knowed that when I was away
huntin' stock or fightin' stakes with them Harrisons； that she was
a settin' there with them and the birds and the bees； and listenin'
to them and to you。 Mebbee there's been a little too many
scrimmages goin' on round the ranch sence she's been a child；
mebbee she orter know suthin' more of a man than a feller who
sparks her and fights for her。〃
The master was silent。 Had this dull； narrow…minded partisan
stumbled upon a truth that h