civilization, had not been prepared to meet the situation thrust
upon him-which she had thrust upon him. She had demanded of him
something he had not the power to accomplish, and she had called
him a coward. And in his heart Thurston knew that it was
unjust, and that he was not a coward.



CHAPTER III

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Thurston, dressed immaculately in riding clothes of the latest
English cut, went airily down the stairs and discovered that he
was not early, as he had imagined. Seven o'clock, he had told
himself proudly, was not bad for a beginner; and he had smiled
in anticipation of Hank Graves' surprise which was fortunate,
since he would otherwise have been cheated of smiling at all.
For Hank Graves, he learned from the cook, had eaten breakfast
at five and had left the ranch more than an hour before; the
men also were scattered to their work.

Properly humbled in spirit, he sat down to the kitchen table and
ate his belated breakfast, while the cook kneaded bread at the
other end of the same table and eyed Thurston with frank
amusement. Thurston had never before been conscious of feeling
ill at ease in the presence of a servant, and hurried through
the meal so that he could escape into the clear sunshine,
feeling a bit foolish in the unaccustomed bagginess of his
riding breeches and the snugness of his leggings; for he had