en, like as not, he'll find that he's made a big mistake.
Like I did to-day about hangin' Greasy, for instance."

Hollis bowed gravely to Mrs. Norton. "I think he ought to be forgiven,
Mrs. Norton," he said. "Day before yesterday he presumed to lecture me
on the superiority of the married male over the unmarried one. And now
he humbly admits to being bossed. What then becomes of his much talked
of superiority? Shall I--free and unbossed--admit inferiority?"

Mrs. Norton smiled wisely as she moved around the table, arranging the
dishes. "I couldn't decide that," she said, "until it is explained to me
why so many men are apparently so eager to engage a boss."

"I reckon that settles that argument!" gloated Norton.

Had this conversation taken place two months before Hollis might have
answered, Why, indeed, were men so eager to engage a boss? Two months
before he might have answered cynically, remembering the unhappiness of
his parents. That he did not answer now showed that he was no longer
cynical; that he had experienced a change of heart.

Of course Mrs. Norton knew this--Norton must have told her. He could
appreciate the subtle mockery that had suggested the question, but he
did not purpose to allow Norton to sit there and enjoy the confusion
that was sure to overtake him did he attempt to continue the argument
with Mrs. Norton. He was quite certain that Norton anticipated such an
outcome.

"Perhaps Norton can answer that?" he suggested mildly.

"I ain't no good at guessin' riddles," jeered Norton. "But I reckon you
know--if you wanted to tell."

But Hollis did not tell, and the conversation shifted to other subjects.
After supper they went out upon the porch. A slight breeze had sprung up
with the dusk, though the sky was still cloudless. At ten o'clock, when
they retired, the breeze had increased in velocity, sighing mournfully
through the trees in the vicinity of the ranchhouse, though there was no
perceptible change in the atmosphere--it seemed that the wind was merely
shifting the heat waves from one point to another.

"A good, decent rain would save lots of trouble to-morrow," said Norton
as he and Hollis stood on the porch, taking a last look at the sky
before going to bed.

"Do you really think Dunlavey will carry out his threat?" questioned
Hollis. "Somehow I can't help but think that he was bluffing when he
said it."

"He don't do much bluffin'," declared Norton. "At least he ain't done
much up