th, calmly.

Suddenly she flamed out and poured at him a torrent of vigorous oaths.
He was so taken by surprise that he forgot to do anything but wonder,
and his calmness evidently daunted her.

"Don't you know that when a lady invites you to come to see her, you
have to do it?"

"I have heard that," said Keith, beginning to look amused.

"You have? Do you mean to say Tam not a lady?"

"Well, from your conversation, I might suppose you were a man," said
Keith, half laughing.

"I will show you that I am man enough for you. Don't you know I am the
boss of this town, and that when I tell you to do a thing you have
to obey me?"

"No; I do not know that," said Keith. "You may be the boss of this town,
but I don't have to obey you."

"Well, I will show you about it, and ---- quick, too. See if I don't! I
will run you out of this town, my young man."

"Oh, I don't think you will," said Keith, easily.

"Yes, I will, and quick enough, too. You look out for me."

"Good morning," said Keith, raising his hat.

The loudness of her tone and the vehemence of her manner had arrested
several passers-by, who now stood looking on with interest.

"What's the matter, Terpy?" asked one of them. "What are you so peppery
about? Bank busted?"

The young woman explained the matter with more fairness than Keith would
have supposed.

"Oh, he is just a fool. Let him alone," said the man; whilst another
added: "He'll come around, darlin'; don't you bother; and if he don't,
I will."

"---- him! He's got to go. I won't let him now. You know when I say a
thing it's got to be, and I mean to make him know it, too," asserted the
young Amazon. "I'll have him driven out of town, and if there ain't any
one here that's man enough to do it, I'll do it myself." This
declaration she framed with an imprecation sufficiently strong if an
oath could make it so.

That evening Tim Gilsey came in to see Keith. He looked rather grave.

"I am sorry you did not drop in, if it was for no more than to git
supper," he said. "Terpy is a bad one to have against you. She's the
kindest gal in the world; but she's got a temper, and when a gal's got a
temper, she's worse'n a fractious leader."

"I don't want her against me; but I'll be hanged if I will be driven
into going anywhere that I don't want to go," asserted Keith.

"No, I don't say as you should," said the old driver, his eye resting on
Keith with a look that showed that he liked him none the les