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other arbitration； you know。〃
〃Wot other arbitration？〃 asked McKinstry suddenly； with murky eyes。
Stacey cast a rapid； half indignant glance at the young girl； who
received it with her hands tucked behind her back； her lovely head
bent submissively forward； and a prolonged little laugh。
〃Oh nothing； Paw；〃 she said； 〃only a little private foolishness
betwixt me and the gentleman。 You'd admire to hear him talk； Paw
about other things than business。 He's just that chipper and gay。〃
Nevertheless； as with a muttered 〃Good…morning〃 the young fellow
turned away； she quietly brushed past her father； and followed him
with her hands still penitently behind her； and the rosy palms
turned upwardas far as the gate。 Her single long Marguerite
braid of hair trailing down her back nearly to the hem of her
skirt； appeared to accent her demure reserve。 At the gate she
shaded her eyes with her hand； and glanced upward。
〃It don't seem to be a good day for arbitrating。 A trifle early in
the season； ain't it？〃
〃Good…morning； Miss McKinstry。〃
She held out her hand。 He took it with an affected ease but
cautiously； as if it had been the velvet paw of a young panther who
had scratched him。 After all； what was she but the cub of the
untamed beast； McKinstry？ He was well out of it！ He was not
revengefulbut business was business； and he had given them the
first chance。
As his figure disappeared behind the buckeyes of the lane； Cressy
cast a glance at the declining sun。 She re…entered the house； and
went directly to her room。 As she passed the window； she could see
her father already remounted galloping towards the tules； as if in
search of that riparian 〃kam〃 his late interview had disturbed。 A
few straggling bits of color in the sloping meadows were the
children coming home from school。 She hastily tied a girlish sun…
bonnet under her chin； and slipping out of the back door； swept
like a lissom shadow along the line of fence until she seemed to
melt into the umbrage of the woods that fringed the distant north
boundary。
CHAPTER IX。
Meanwhile； unaware of her husband's sudden relapse to her old
border principles and of the visit that had induced it； Mrs。
McKinstry was slowly returning from a lugubrious recital of her
moods and feelings at the parson's。 As she crossed the barren flat
and reached the wooded upland midway between the school…house and
the ranch； she saw before her the old familiar figure of Seth Davis
lounging on the trail。 In her habitual loyalty to her husband's
feuds she would probably have stalked defiantly past him；
notwithstanding her late regrets of the broken engagement； but Seth
began to advance awkwardly towards her。 In fact； he had noticed
the tall； gaunt； plaid…shawled and holland…bonneted figure
approaching； and had waited for it。
As he seemed intent upon getting in her way she stopped and raised
her right hand warningly before her。 In spite of the shawl and the
sun…bonnet； suffering had implanted a rude Runic dignity to her
attitude。 〃Words that hev to be took back； Seth Davis；〃 she said
hastily； 〃hev passed between you and my man。 Out of my way； then；
that I may pass； too。〃
〃Not much betwixt you and me； Aunt Rachel；〃 he said with slouching
deprecation； using the old household title by which he had
familiarly known her。 〃I've nothin agin youand I kin prove it by
wot I'm yer to say。 And I ain't trucklin' to yer for myself； for
ez far ez me and your'n ez concerned；〃 he continued； with a
malevolent glance； 〃thar ain't gold enough in Caleforny to mak the
weddin' ring that could hitch me and Cress together。 I want to
tell you that you're bein' played； that you're bein' befooled and
bamboozled and honey…fogled。 Thet while you're groanin' at class…
meetin' and Hiram's quo'llin' with Dad； and Joe Masters waitin'
round to pick up any bone that's throwed him； that sneakin'；
hypocritical Yankee school…master is draggin' your daughter to h…ll
with him on the sly。〃
〃Quit that； Seth Davis；〃 said Mrs。 McKinstry sternly； 〃or be man
enough to tell it to a man。 That's Hiram's business to know。〃
〃And what if he knows it well enough and winks at it？ What if he's
willin' enough to truckle to it； to curry favor with them sneakin'
Yanks？〃 said Seth malignantly。
A spasm of savage conviction seized Mrs。 McKinstry。 But it was
more from her jealous fears of her husband's disloyalty than
concern for her daughter's transgression。 Nevertheless； she said
desperately； 〃It's a lie。 Where are your proofs？〃
〃Proofs？〃 returned Seth。 〃Who is it sneaks around the school…house
to have private talks with the school…master； and edges him on with
Cressy afore folks？ Your husband。 Who goes sneakin' off every
arternoon with that same cantin' hound of a school…master？ Your
daughter。 Who's been carryin' on together； and hidin' thick enough
to be ridden out on a rail together？ Your daughter and the school…
master。 Proofs？ask anybody。 Ask the children。 Look yaryou；
Johnnycome here。〃
He had suddenly directed his voice to a blackberry bush near the
trail； from which the curly head of Johnny Filgee had just
appeared。 That home…returning infant painfully disengaged himself；
his slate； his books； and his small dinner…pail half filled with
fruit as immature as himself； and came towards them sideways。
〃Yer's a dime； Johnny； to git some candy；〃 said Seth； endeavoring
to distort his passion…set face into a smile。
Johnny Filgee's small； berry…stained palm promptly closed over the
coin。
〃Now； don't lie。 Where's Cressy？〃
〃Kithin' her bo。〃
〃Good boy。 What bo？〃
Johnny hesitated。 He had once seen the school…master and Cressy
together； he had heard it whispered by the other children that they
loved each other。 But looking at Seth and Mrs。 McKinstry he felt
that something more tremendous than this stupid fact was required
of him for grown…up people； and being honest and imaginative； he
determined that it should be worth the money。
〃Speak up； Johnny； don't be afeard to tell。〃
Johnny was not 〃afeard〃he was only thinking。 He had it！ He
remembered that he had just seen his paragon； the brilliant Stacey；
coming from the boundary woods。 What more poetical and startlingly
effective than to connect him with Cressy？ He replied promptly：
〃Mithter Thtathy。 He gived her a watch and ring of truly gold。
Goin' to be married at Thacramento。〃
〃You lyin' limb；〃 said Seth； seizing him roughly。 But Mrs。
McKinstry interposed。
〃Let that brat go；〃 she said with gleaming eyes。 〃I want to talk
to you。〃 Seth released Johnny。 〃It's a trick；' he said； 〃he's bin
put up to it by that Ford。〃
But Johnny； after securing a safe vantage behind the blackberry
bush； determined to give them another trialwith facts。
〃I know mor'n that；〃 he called out。
〃Gityou measly pup；〃 said Seth savagely。
〃I know Ther