hase of the report gave Daylight a distinct satisfaction. She was
a bit above the ordinary, and no doubt about it. But Morrison's next
words carried a hurt.

"But that's all hot air. She's running with the University boys,
that's what she's doing. She needs lots of sleep and can't go to the
theatre with me, but she can dance all hours with them. I've heard it
pretty straight that she goes to all their hops and such things.
Rather stylish and high-toned for a stenographer, I'd say. And she
keeps a horse, too. She rides astride all over those hills out there.
I saw her one Sunday myself. Oh, she's a high-flyer, and I wonder how
she does it. Sixty-five a month don't go far. Then she has a sick
brother, too."

"Live with her people?" Daylight asked.

"No; hasn't got any. They were well to do, I've heard. They must have
been, or that brother of hers couldn't have gone to the University of
California. Her father had a big cattle-ranch, but he got to fooling
with mines or something, and went broke before he died. Her mother
died long before that. Her brother must cost a lot of money. He was a
husky once, played football, was great on hunting and being out in the
mountains and such things. He got his accident breaking horses, and
then rheumatism or something got into him. One leg is shorter than the
other and withered up some. He has to walk on crutches. I saw her out
with him once--crossing the ferry. The doctors have been experimenting
on him for years, and he's in the French Hospital now, I think."

All of which side-lights on Miss Mason went to increase Daylight's
interest in her. Yet, much as he desired, he failed to get acquainted
with her. He had thoughts of asking her to luncheon, but his was the
innate chivalry of the frontiersman, and the thoughts never came to
anything. He knew a self-respecting, square-dealing man was not
supposed to take his stenographer to luncheon. Such things did happen,
he knew, for he heard the chaffing gossip of the club; but he did not
think much of such men and felt sorry for the girls. He had a strange
notion that a man had less rights over those he employed than over mere
acquaintances or strangers. Thus, had Miss Mason not been his
employee, he was confident that he would have had her to luncheon or
the theatre in no time. But he felt that it was an imposition for an
employer, because he bought the time of an employee in working hours,
to presume in any way