It was hard to meet her keen old eyes.

"Too much, I'm afraid," he said frankly. "You see, I've felt rather
touchy about the thing. I want people to know that you and I have agreed
on making Terry the heir to the ranch. I don't want anyone to suspect
that we differed. I suppose I talked too much about the birthday plans."

She sighed with vexation and weighed the letter in her hand.

"I've half a mind to open it."

His heartbeat fluttered and paused.

"Go ahead," he urged, with well-assured carelessness.

She shook down the contents of the envelope preparatory to opening it.

"It's nothing but printed stuff, Vance. I can see that, through the
envelope."

"But wait a minute, Elizabeth. It might anger Terry to have even his
business mail opened. He's touchy, you know."

She hesitated, then shrugged her shoulders.

"I suppose you're right. Let it go." She laughed at her own concern over
the matter. "Do you know, Vance, that sometimes I feel as if the whole
world were conspiring to get a hand on Terry?"