"I reckon they haven't much to do at home, or are hard put for company,
to travel six miles in the snow to show off their prinkin' to a lot of
idle louts shiny with bear's grease and scented up with doctor's stuff,"
added the girl, shrugging her shoulders, with a touch of her father's
mood and manner.

Perhaps it struck Hays at that moment that her attitude was somewhat
monstrous and unnatural for one still young and presumably like other
girls, for, after glancing at her under his heavy brows, he said, in a
gentler tone:--

"Never YOU mind, Zuly. When your brother Jack comes home he'll know
what's what, and have all the proper New York ways and style. It's nigh
on three years now that he's had the best training Dr. Dawson's Academy
could give,--sayin' nothing of the pow'ful Christian example of one
of the best preachers in the States. They mayn't have worldly, ungodly
fandangoes where he is, and riotous livin', and scarlet abominations,
but I've been told that they've 'tea circles,' and 'assemblies,' and
'harmony concerts' of young folks--and dancin'--yes, fine square dancin'
under control. No, I ain't stinted him in anythin'. You kin remember
that, Zuleika, when you hear any more gossip and backbitin' about your
father's meanness. I ain't spared no money for him."

"I reckon not," said the girl, a little sharply. "Why, there's that
draft fur two hundred and fifty dollars that kem only last week from the
Doctor's fur extras."

"Yes," replied Hays, with a slight knitting of the brows, "the Doctor
mout hev writ more particklers, but parsons ain't allus business men.
I reckon these here extrys were to push Jack along in the term, as the
Doctor knew I wanted him back here in the spring, now that his brother
has got to be too stiff-necked and self-opinionated to do his father's
work." It seemed from this that there had been a quarrel between Hays
and his eldest son, who conducted his branch business at Sacramento, and
who had in a passion threatened to set up a rival establishment to his
father's. And it was also evident from the manner of the girl that she
was by no means a strong partisan of her father in the quarrel.

"You'd better find out first how all the schoolin' and trainin' of
Jack's is goin' to jibe with the Ranch, and if he ain't been eddicated
out of all knowledge of station business or keer for it. New York ain't
Hays' Ranch, and these yer 'assemblies' and 'harmony' doin's and their
airs and graces may