n
I was in the mood to resent almost anything.

"Why?" he repeated, in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you glad?" I said. "I can't see what difference it makes to you
whether I succeed or not."

He regarded me with a puzzled expression, but, instead of taking
offense, he laughed.

"You've got a chip on your shoulder, ain't you, Ros?" he observed.
"Workin' you too hard at the start, are we?"

"No," I answered, curtly.

"Then what is the matter?"

"Why, nothing, unless it is that everyone I meet seems to take such
a great interest in my being here. I believe all of Denboro talks of
nothing else."

"Not much else, I shouldn't wonder. But that's to be expected, ain't it?
Everybody's glad you're makin' good."

"Humph! They all seem to regard that as the eighth wonder of the world.
The position doesn't require a marvel of intelligence; almost any one
with a teaspoonful of brains could fill it."

"Why no, they couldn't. But that's nothin' to do with it. I see what's
the matter with you, Ros. You think all hands are knocked on their beam
ends because you've gone to work. Some of 'em are, that's a fact, and
you can't blame 'em much, considerin' how long you've lived here without
doin' anything. But all of 'em that amount to a three-cent piece are
glad, and the rest don't count anyway. You've made a good many friends
in this town lately, son."

I smiled bitterly. "Friends," I said.

"Why, yes, friends. And friends are worth havin', especially if you
make 'em without beggin' for their friendship. I give in that you've
surprised some of us. We didn't know that you had it in you. But your
standin' up to old Colton was a fine thing, and we appreciated it."

"That is because you were against his grabbing the Lane."

"What of it? And 'twan't that altogether. I, for one, ain't complainin'
because you stood up to me and wouldn't sell to the town. By the way,
Tim Hallet's gang haven't bothered you lately, have they?"

"No. And I advise them not to."

He chuckled. "I heard you advised 'em to that effect," he said. "I ain't
complainin' at that, either, even though I knew what they was up to and
thought 'twas more or less of a joke. But I liked the way you fired 'em
out of there, not carin' a tinker's darn who was behind 'em. So long as
a man stands square in his boots and don't knuckle to anybody he won't
lose anything with Jed Dean. That's me!"

"You ought to like Colton, then," I said. "He hasn't knuckled, mu