was pitiable, but she repressed it sternly
when she went to meet the man she feared; and never had it been more in
evidence than in this hour of her greatest torture. Blithely she came
forward to meet him, eye challenging eye gayly. No hint of her anguish
escaped into her manner. He read there only coquetry, the eternal sex
conflict, the winsome defiance of a woman hitherto the virgin mistress
of all assaults upon her heart's citadel. It was the last thing he had
expected to see, but it was infinitely more piquant, more intoxicating,
than desperation. She seemed to give the lie to his impression of her
love for his cousin; and that, too, delighted his pride.

"You will sit down?"

Carelessly, almost indolently, she put the question, her raised eyebrows
indicating a chair with perfunctory hospitality. He had not meant to
sit, had expected only to gloat a few minutes over her despair; but
this situation called for more deliberation. He had yet to establish the
mastery his vanity demanded. Therefore he took a chair.

"This is ce'tainly an unexpected honor. Did y'u send for me to explain
some more about that sufficient understanding between us?" he sneered.

It was a great relief to her to see that, though he had been drinking,
as she had heard, he was entirely master of himself. Her efforts might
still be directed to Philip sober.

"I sent for you to congratulate you," she answered, with a smile. "You
are a bigger man than I thought. You have done what you said you would
do, and I presume you can very shortly go out of mourning."

He radiated vanity, seemed to visibly expand "Do y'u go in when I go
out?" he asked brutally.

She laughed lightly. "Hardly. But it does seem as if I'm unlucky in my
foremen. They all seem to have engagements across the divide."

"I'll get y u another."

"Thank you. I was going to ask as much of you. Can you suggest one now?"

"I'm a right good cattle man myself."

"And--can you stay with me a reasonable time?"

He laughed. "I have no engagements across the Styx, ma'am."

"My other foremen thought they were permanent fixtures here, too."

"We're all liable to mistakes."

"Even you, I suppose."

"I'll sign a lease to give y'u possession of my skill for as long as y'u
like."

She settled herself comfortably back in an easy chair, as alluring a
picture of buoyant, radiant youth as he had seen in many a day. "But the
terms. I am afraid I can't offer you as much as you make at you