"All right. I'll take my medicine," I replied bitterly. "I'll certainly
never make love to you again. And I'll stand it if I happen to see
Waters kiss you, or any other decent fellow. But look out how you let
that damned backbiter Wright fool around you!"

I spoke to her as I had never spoken before, in quick, fierce meaning,
with eyes holding hers.

She paled. But even my scarce-veiled hint did not chill her anger.
Tossing her head she wheeled and rode away.

I followed at a little distance, and thus we traveled the ten miles back
to the ranch. When we reached the corrals she dismounted and, turning
her horse over to Dick, she went off toward the house without so much as
a nod or good-by to me.

I went down to town for once in a mood to live up to what had been
heretofore only a sham character.

But turning a corner into the main street I instantly forgot myself at
the sight of a crowd congregated before the town hall. There was a babel
of voices and an air of excitement that I immediately associated with
Sampson, who as mayor of Linrock, once in a month of moons held court in
this hall.

It took slipping and elbowing to get through the crowd. Once inside the
door I saw that the crowd was mostly outside, and evidently not so
desirous as I was to enter.