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confidences。 Nevertheless he began gently：
〃But you are quite sure you won't regret that you didn't avail
yourself of this broken engagement； and your daughter's outfitto
send her to some larger boarding…school in Sacramento or San
Francisco？ Don't you think she may find it dull； and soon tire of
the company of mere children when she has already known the
excitement of〃he was about to say 〃a lover；〃 but checked himself；
and added； 〃a young girl's freedom？〃
〃Mr。 Ford；〃 returned McKinstry； with the slow and fatuous
misconception of a one…ideaed man； 〃when I said just now that；
lookin' inter that kam； peaceful school of yours； I didn't find a
place for Cress； it warn't because I didn't think she OUGHTER hev a
place thar。 Thar was that thar wot she never had ez a little girl
with me and the old woman； and that she couldn't find ez a grownd
up girl in any boarding…schoolthe home of a child； that kind o'
innocent foolishness that I sometimes reckon must hev slipped outer
our emigrant wagon comin' across the plains； or got left behind at
St。 Joe。 She was a grownd girl fit to marry afore she was a child。
She had young fellers a…sparkin' her afore she ever played with 'em
ez boy and girl。 I don't mind tellin' you that it wern't in the
natur of Blair Rawlins' darter to teach her own darter any better；
for all she's been a mighty help to me。 So if it's all the same to
you； Mr。 Ford； we won't talk about a grownd up school； I'd rather
Cress be a little girl again among them other children。 I should
be a powerful sight more kam if I knowed that when I was away
huntin' stock or fightin' stakes with them Harrisons； that she was
a settin' there with them and the birds and the bees； and listenin'
to them and to you。 Mebbee there's been a little too many
scrimmages goin' on round the ranch sence she's been a child；
mebbee she orter know suthin' more of a man than a feller who
sparks her and fights for her。〃
The master was silent。 Had this dull； narrow…minded partisan
stumbled upon a truth that had never dawned upon his own broader
comprehension？ Had this selfish savage and literally red…handed
frontier brawler been moved by some dumb instinct of the power of
gentleness to understand his daughter's needs better than he？ For
a moment he was staggered。 Then he thought of Cressy's later
flirtations with Joe Masters； and her concealment of their meeting
from her mother。 Had she deceived her father also？ Or was not the
father deceiving him with this alternate suggestion of threat and
of kindlinessof power and weakness。 He had heard of this cruel
phase of Southwestern cunning before。 With the feeble sophistry of
the cynic he mistrusted the good his scepticism could not
understand。 Howbeit； glancing sideways at the slumbering savagery
of the man beside him； and his wounded hand； he did not care to
show his lack of confidence。 He contented himself with that
equally feeble resource of weak humanity in such casesgood…
natured indifference。 〃All right；〃 he said carelessly； 〃I'll see
what can be done。 But are you quite sure you are fit to go home
alone？ Shall I accompany you？〃 As McKinstry waived the suggestion
with a gesture； he added lightly； as if to conclude the interview；
〃I'll report progress to you from time to time； if you like。〃
〃To ME；〃 emphasized McKinstry； 〃not over THAR；〃 indicating the
ranch。 〃But p'rhaps you wouldn't mind my ridin' by and lookin' in
at the school…room winder onct in a while？ Ahyou WOULD；〃 he
added； with the first deepening of color he had shown。 〃Well；
never mind。〃
〃You see it might distract the children from their lessons；〃
explained the master gently； who had however contemplated with some
concern the infinite delight which a glimpse of McKinstry's fiery
and fatuous face at the window would awaken in Johnny Filgee's
infant breast。
〃Well； no matter！〃 returned McKinstry slowly。 〃Ye don't keer； I
s'pose； to come over to the hotel and take suthin'？ A julep or a
smash？〃
〃I shouldn't think of keeping you a moment longer from Mrs。
McKinstry；〃 said the master； looking at his companion's wounded
hand。 〃Thank you all the same。 Good…by。〃
They shook hands； McKinstry transferring his rifle to the hollow of
his elbow to offer his unwounded left。 The master watched him
slowly resume his way towards the ranch。 Then with a half uneasy
and half pleasurable sense that he had taken some step whose
consequences were more important than he would at present
understand； he turned in the opposite direction to the school…
house。 He was so preoccupied that it was not until he had nearly
reached it that he remembered Uncle Ben。 With an odd recollection
of McKinstry's previous performance； he approached the school from
the thicket in the rear and slipped noiselessly to the open window
with the intention of looking in。 But the school…house； far from
exhibiting that 〃kam〃 and studious abstraction which had so touched
the savage breast of McKinstry； was filled with the accents of
youthful and unrestrained vituperation。 The voice of Rupert Filgee
came sharply to the master's astonished ears。
〃You needn't try to play off Dobell or Mitchell on MEyou hear！
Much YOU know of either； don't you？ Look at that copy。 If Johnny
couldn't do better than that； I'd lick him。 Of course it's the
penit ain't your stodgy fingersoh； no！ P'r'aps you'd like to
hev a few more boxes o' quills and gold pens and Gillott's best
thrown in； for two bits a lesson？ I tell you what！ I'll throw up
the contract in another minit！ There goes another quill busted！
Look here； what YOU want ain't a pen； but a clothes…pin and a split
nail！ That'll about jibe with your dilikit gait。〃
The master at once stepped to the window and； unobserved； took a
quick survey of the interior。 Following some ingenious idea of his
own regarding fitness； the beautiful Filgee had induced Uncle Ben
to seat himself on the floor before one of the smallest desks；
presumably his brother's； in an attitude which； while it certainly
gave him considerable elbow…room for those contortions common to
immature penmanship； offered his youthful instructor a superior
eminence； from which he hovered； occasionally swooping down upon
his grown…up pupil like a mischievous but graceful jay。 But Mr。
Ford's most distinct impression was that； far from resenting the
derogatory position and the abuse that accompanied it； Uncle Ben
not only beamed upon his persecutor with unquenchable good humor；
but with undisguised admiration； and showed not the slightest
inclination to accept his proposed resignation。
〃Go slow； Roop；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃You was onct a boy yourself。
Nat'rally I kalkilate to stand all the damages。 You've got ter
waste some powder over a blast like this yer； way down to the bed
rock。 Next time I'll bring my own pens。〃
〃Do。 Some from the Dobell school you uster go to；〃 suggested the
darkly ironical Rupert。