The primitive man was
blazing. "I don't dare to take the chances on what would be in me if I
should go back to the drive and leave you here to be smirked at by every
cheap man who comes along. I have dreamed too much about you!" He was
wooing with the avatar of old John. "By the gods! you're my girl! I'm
going to have you! I'll stay on that job!"

"I shall leave this place to-morrow. It will be very--well, very unwise
for you to annoy me."

"I'm going to follow you."

"Mr. Latisan, I have listened to you; you shall listen to me!" She spoke
sharply. Now she displayed the equipoise of one who had learned much
from self-reliant contact with men. "I'll not argue with you about what
you call love. But there's something which love must have, and that's
self-respect. If your folly on account of me takes you away from your
honest duty you'll despise me when you come to yourself. You have been
honest with me. I'll be honest with you. I like you. I can see that
you're a big, true man--much different from most of the men I have met
before this. But I shall lose all my good opinion of you if you desert
your job. And, as I have said, you'll hate me if I allow you to do so.
Can we afford to take chances?"

While he pondered she made hurried mental account of stock in her own
case.

She was not admitting that she felt any especial consideration for this
man as a lover; she was protecting her grandfather and striving for her
own peace of mind as a payer of a debt of honor. He followed her when
she walked on toward the tavern.

"May I ask what you mean by taking chances? Chances on being something
more to each other than we are now?" he asked, wistfully.

"I think we have gone quite far enough for one evening, sir."

He pulled off his cap. "Before I go to sleep I shall say my little
prayer. I shall ask that you won't be thinking I have gone too far. I'm
sure it won't be a prayer to the God of the Old Testament, such as Eck
Flagg was reading about. I'll whisper up to Mother Mary. She understands
women. I don't."

He bowed in silence when she gave him a hasty "good night!"

Latisan whirled suddenly after the girl closed the door behind her--came
about on his heels so quickly that he nearly bumped into the assiduous
operative Crowley, who had been taking desperate chances that evening.

But Latisan's gaze was directed downward in deep thought as he walked
slowly away, and he did not perceive the eavesdropper.

Mr. Crowley h