"But that's all I'm going to say. Here come the boys--and dead dry!"

For the afternoon was verging upon evening, and the first drift of
laborers from the mines was pouring into The Corner. One thing at least
was clear to Donnegan: that everyone knew how infatuated Landis had
become with Nelly Lebrun and that Landis had not built up an
extraordinarily good name for himself.




12


By the time absolute darkness had set in, Donnegan, in the new role of
lady's chaperon, sat before a dying fire with Louise Macon beside him.
He had easily seen from his talk with Stern that Landis was a public
figure, whether from the richness of his claims or his relations with
Lord Nick and Lebrun, or because of all these things; but as a public
figure it would be impossible to see him alone in his own tent, and
unless Louise could meet him alone half her power over him--supposing
that she still retained any--would be lost. Better by far that Landis
should come to her than that she should come to him, so Donnegan had
rented two tents by the day at an outrageous figure from the
enterprising real estate company of The Corner and to this new home he
brought the girl.

She accepted the arrangement with surprising equanimity. It seemed that
her father's training had eliminated from her mind any questioning of
the motives of others. She became even cheerful as she set about