"You mean that you are afraid some of them may not be looking."

"Really! You are impudent, Mr.----"

"Have you forgotten your own name? Oh, by the way, your maiden name
was McElwin, I believe."

She halted again to laugh. "Oh, this is too funny for anything," she
said. "Isn't it, Zeb?"

"It won't be if your father looks around."

"He is too near the bank to look around now," Lyman replied. "He must
keep his eyes on the temple."

"Zeb," she said, "why do you let this man talk that way? I thought you
had more spirit."

"He has the spirit of anger, but not of courage," Lyman remarked.

"Eva," said Sawyer, "out in the Fox Grove neighborhood this man is
known as a desperado."

"That phase of character was forced upon me, madam," Lyman replied,
"and I had to accept it. Just as this man has been compelled to accept
the name of notorious bully and coward, which was forced upon him. He
gained some little prestige by shooting an unarmed man, and has been
afraid to meet him since. The people have found this out, and hence
his name of coward."

"It's a--" Sawyer hesitated.

"It's a what?" Lyman asked.

"A mistake."

"A soft word," said the young woman.

"A gentleman uses soft words in the presence of ladies," Sawyer
replied.

"And a weak man uses a weak word in apology for a weak character,"
Lyman spoke up.

"Oh, I never heard anything like this before," the young woman
declared. "I didn't know that men could be so entertaining."

"The potted plant astonished at the virility of the weed," said Lyman.
"But I must leave you here. My office is up there. Mr. Sawyer knows
where it is. His name appears on my list of callers. No, thank you, I
cannot dine with you today."

"Oh, how impertinent," she laughed. "Nobody asked you, sir."

"No, but I'll ask you. My partner is up there now, with his oil stove
lighted and the coffee hot. We have some broken dishes, and some cups
that are cracked with age. Won't you come up and dine with us?"

"Why, I thought you boarded with Cousin Jasper Staggs. And ain't he
the funniest thing? I like him ever so much."

"I do board with him, but I often dine out. Won't you come up and have
a box of sardines?"

"No, I thank you. Wait a moment. When are you going to sign that
petition for father?"

"When am I going to sign it for you?"

"Why, as soon as you can."

"No. But as soon as you comply with all the requirements of
sentimental rather than of statute law."

CHAPT