he had been very ungracious. He saw Ace's
manuscript flutter toward him, saw her rise and heard the screen door
slam after her. During the remainder of the afternoon he was left alone
on the porch to meditate upon the evils that arise from thoughtless
speech.

CHAPTER XIV

THE COALITION

Perhaps there were some persons in Union County who, acquainted with the
details of the attack on Hollis, expected to read an account of it in
the _Kicker_. If there were any such they were disappointed. There
was nothing about the attack printed in the _Kicker_--nor did
Hollis talk to any stranger concerning it.

Ace's poem entitled "Woman" had gone into the paper, causing the
poet--for many days following the appearance of his composition--to look
upon his fellow punchers with a sort of condescending pity. On the
second day after his discussion with Miss Hazelton over Ace's poem
Hollis returned to the Circle Bar. He had succeeded in convincing Nellie
that he had answered thoughtlessly when he had informed her that he took
no interest in women, and though she had defiantly assured him that she
had not taken offense, there had been a light in her eyes upon his
departure which revealed gratification over his repentance. She stood
long on the porch after he had taken leave of her, watching him as he
rode slowly down the trail and disappeared around a turn. Then she
smiled regretfully, sighed, and went into the house.

Hollis's return to the Circle Bar was unostentatious and quite in
keeping with his method of doing things. Within the next few days he met
several of the Circle Bar men and there were mutterings against
Dunlavey, but Hollis discouraged action, assuring the mutterers that his
differences with Dunlavey were entirely personal and that he intended
carrying on the fight alone.

His wounds mended rapidly, and within two weeks--except for the broken
wrist--he was well as ever. Meanwhile Potter had succeeded in getting
the _Kicker_ out on time, though there had been a noticeable lack
of aggressiveness in the articles. Especially was this true of the
articles bearing upon the situation in Union County. Hollis had dictated
some of these, but even those which he had dictated had seemed to lack
something.

Nothing had been heard of Dunlavey--it seemed that after the attack upon
Hollis he had withdrawn from the scene to await the latter's next move.

But Hollis was in no hurry; he had lost some of the enthusiasm that h