``I'm not afraid to fight you for anything worth fighting for.

He bowed his bared head in good-night toward the light on the
hill, as he turned and walked back into his bedroom. ``And I
think,'' he murmured grimly, as he put out the light, ``that she
is worth fighting for.''



IV

The work which had called Clay to the mines kept him there for
some time, and it was not until the third day after the arrival
of the Langhams that he returned again to the Palms. On the
afternoon when he climbed the hill to the bungalow he found the
Langhams as he had left them, with the difference that King now
occupied a place in the family circle. Clay was made so welcome,
and especially so by King, that he felt rather ashamed of his
sentiments toward him, and considered his three days of absence
to be well repaid by the heartiness of their greeting.

``For myself,'' said Mr. Langham, ``I don't believe you had
anything to do at the mines at all. I think you went away just
to show us how necessary you are. But if you want me to make a
good report of our resident director on my return, you had better
devote yourself less to the mines while you are here and more to
us.'' Clay said he was glad to find that his duties were to be
of so pleasant a nature, and asked them what they had seen and
what they had done.