ady he had wasted too much time on the Briskows--a
man's duty ever lies in the way of his desire--but once he had rounded
up Buddy perhaps the family would be able to take care of itself. He
hoped so, for it was assuming the character of a liability.

It was late that night. The southbound flyer had gone through. The
Briskows were sitting in the pleasant parlor of their handsome suite,
but they were like three mourners. Ma and Pa were soberly discussing
the news about Buddy, Allegheny was staring in somber meditation at
nothing. The girl was bitter, rebellious, for never had she felt so
utterly alone as at this moment. To that question which monotonously
repeated itself, she could form no answer. Did he care, or was it all
pity--just his way?

She heard his name and her own mentioned, and she became attentive.
"What's that? He wants me to meet these people halfway?" she inquired.
"What for? I don't like 'em."

"He says you'll git to like 'em, an' they'll git to like you. He says
you're goin' ahead tremendous, and we'll all be proud of you. Mebbe
you'll meet some nice young feller--"

"He said that, did he?" Allie's voice was sharp.

"N-not exactly, but--"

"He asked 'em to be nice to me--he fixed it all up. Is that it? I got
lots of money; some man 'll make love to me and I'll--I'll fall in love
with him. Is that what he said?"

"He didn't put it that way. What he said was more--"

Allegheny rose with an exclamation of anger. "Well, I won't meet 'em.
He'd better mind his own business."

"Why, _Allie_!" the mother exclaimed, in mild reproach.

"I won't! I hate 'em. I hate everybody. Him, with his high an' fancy
ways--" the girl choked. "He looks down on us the same as other folks
does, an' I don't blame him. He acts like we was cattle, an' we are."
Her own scorn appeared to whip the speaker into a higher frenzy. "Now
he's gone off to spoil Buddy's doin's. Buttin' in, that's what it is.
If I knew where Buddy is, I'd warn him. I'd tell him to look out. I'd
tell him to grab his chance when it comes along, if it takes all the
Briskow money, all the Briskow wells. He's lucky, Buddy is. It don't
make any difference _who_ he took up with, if he loves her."

Never but once before had the Briskows seen their daughter in a mood
like this, and that was on the occasion of their first visit to Dallas.
Now they sat numb and speechless as she raved on:

"Playin' with us to amuse himself! It's a game with him. He 'ain't go