"I mean to have a talk with him first off. I'll make him do what's
right."

"How?"

"I don't know how, but I will," she cried wildly. "If he don't I'll
settle with him. Nothing's too bad for a man like that."

He shook his head. "Not the best way, Rose. Let's be sure of every
move we make. Let's check up on this man before we lay down the law to
him."

Some arresting quality in him held her eye. He had sloughed the gay
devil-may-care boyishness of the range and taken on a look of strong
patience new in her experience of him. But she was worn out and
nervous. The pain in her arm throbbed feverishly. Her emotions had
held her on a rack for many hours. There was in her no reserve power
of endurance.

"No, I'm going to see him and have it out," she flung back.

"Then let me go with you when you see him. You're sick. You ought to
be in bed right now. You're in no condition to face it alone."

"Oh, don't baby me, Kirby!" she burst out. "I'm all right. What's it
matter if I am fagged. Don't you see? I'm crazy about Esther. I've
got to get it settled. I can rest afterward."

"Will it do any harm to take a friend along when you go to see this
man?"