superior to undoubted inferior.

Arkwright seemed to be wavering between resentment and amused
disdain. Then he remembered the circumstances of their first
acquaintance--those frightful days in the Arizona desert, without
food, with almost no water, and how this man had been absolute
ruler of the party of lost and dying men; how he had forced them
to march on and on, with entreaties, with curses, with blows
finally; how he had brought them to safety--all as a matter of
course, without any vanity or boasting--had been leader by divine
right of strength of body and soul. Grant turned his eyes from
Craig, for there were tears in them. "I don't see why you like me,
either, Josh," said he. "But you do--and--damn it all, I'd die for
you."

"I guess you'll come pretty near dying of shame before this
evening's over," laughed Craig. "This is the first time in my life
I ever was in a fashionable company."

"There's nothing to be frightened about," Grant assured him.

"Frightened!" Josh laughed boisterously--Arkwright could have
wished he would temper that laugh. "I--frightened by a bunch of
popinjays? You see, it's not really in the least important whether
they like me or not--at least, not to me. I'll get there, anyhow.
And when I do, I'll deal with them according to their deserts. So
they'd better hustle to get solid with me."

In the two years since he had seen Craig, Arkwright had almost
forgotten his habit of bragging and blowing about himself--what he