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He had brought her already to her knees。 Before he was through with her
she should grovel in the dust before him。
〃I'll be back in a few minutes。 Do nothing till I return；〃 he ordered； and
went jingling away to the Elk House。
The young woman's anxiety was pitiable； but she repressed it sternly
when she went to meet the man she feared； and never had it been more in
evidence than in this hour of her greatest torture。 Blithely she came
forward to meet him； eye challenging eye gayly。 No hint of her anguish
escaped into her manner。 He read there only coquetry； the eternal sex
conflict； the winsome defiance of a woman hitherto the virgin mistress of
all assaults upon her heart's citadel。 It was the last thing he had expected to
see； but it was infinitely more piquant； more intoxicating； than desperation。
She seemed to give the lie to his impression of her love for his cousin； and
that； too； delighted his pride。
〃You will sit down？〃
Carelessly； almost indolently； she put the question； her raised eyebrows
indicating a chair with perfunctory hospitality。 He had not meant to sit；
had expected only to gloat a few minutes over her despair； but this
situation called for more deliberation。 He had yet to establish the mastery
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his vanity demanded。 Therefore he took a chair。
〃This is ce'tainly an unexpected honor。 Did y'u send for me to explain
some more about that sufficient understanding between us？〃 he sneered。
It was a great relief to her to see that； though he had been drinking； as
she had heard； he was entirely master of himself。 Her efforts might still be
directed to Philip sober。
〃I sent for you to congratulate you；〃 she answered； with a smile。 〃You
are a bigger man than I thought。 You have done what you said you would
do； and I presume you can very shortly go out of mourning。〃
He radiated vanity； seemed to visibly expand 〃Do y'u go in when I go
out？〃 he asked brutally。
She laughed lightly。 〃Hardly。 But it does seem as if I'm unlucky in my
foremen。 They all seem to have engagements across the divide。〃
〃I'll get y u another。〃
〃Thank you。 I was going to ask as much of you。 Can you suggest one
now？〃
〃I'm a right good cattle man myself。〃
〃Andcan you stay with me a reasonable time？〃
He laughed。 〃I have no engagements across the Styx； ma'am。〃
〃My other foremen thought they were permanent fixtures here； too。〃
〃We're all liable to mistakes。〃
〃Even you； I suppose。〃
〃I'll sign a lease to give y'u possession of my skill for as long as y'u
like。〃
She settled herself comfortably back in an easy chair； as alluring a
picture of buoyant； radiant youth as he had seen in many a day。 〃But the
terms。 I am afraid I can't offer you as much as you make at your present
occupation。〃
〃I could keep that up as a side…line。〃
〃So you could。 But if you use my time for your own profit； you ought
to pay me a royalty on your intake。〃
His eyes lit with laughter。 〃I reckon that can be arranged。 Any
percentage you think fair It will all be in the family； anyway。〃
〃I think that is one of the things about which we don't agree；〃 she
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made answer softly； flashing him the proper look of inviting disdain from
under her silken lashes。
He leaned forward； elbow on the chair…arm and chin in hand。 〃We'll
agree about it one of these days。〃
〃Think so？〃 she returned airily。
〃I don't think。 I know。〃
Just an eyebeat her gaze met his； with that hint of shy questioning； of
puzzled doubt that showed a growing interest。 〃I wonder；〃 she murmured；
and recovered herself little laugh。
How she hated her task； and him！ She was a singularly honest woman；
but she must play the siren； must allure this scoundrel to forgetfulness；
with a hurried and yet elude the very familiarity her manner invited。 She
knew her part； the heartless enticing coquette； compounded half of passion
and half of selfishness。 It was a hateful thing to do； this sacrifice of her
personal reticence； of the individual abstraction in which she wrapped
herself as a cloak； in order to hint at a possibility of some intimacy of
feeling between them。 She shrank from it with a repugnance hardly to be
overcome； but she held herself with an iron will and consummate art to the
role she had undertaken。 Two lives hung on her success。 She must not
forget that。 She would not let herself forget thatand one of them that of
the man she loved。
So； bravely she played her part； repelling always with a hint of
invitation； denying with the promise in her fascinated eyes of ultimate
surrender to his ardor。 In the zest of the pursuit the minutes slipped away
unnoticed。 Never had a woman seemed to him more subtly elusive； and
never had he felt more sure of himself。 Her charm grew on him； stirred his
pulses to a faster beat。 For it was his favorite sport； and this warm； supple
young creature； who was to be the victim of his bow and arrow； showed
herself worthy of his mettle。
The clock downstairs struck the half…hour； and Bannister； reminded of
what lay before him outside； made a move to go。 Her alert eyes had been
expecting it； and she forestalled him by a change of tactics。 Moved
apparently by impulse； she seated herself on the piano…stool； swept the
keys for an instant with her fingers； and plunged into the brilliant
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〃Carmen〃 overture。 Susceptible as this man was to the influence of music；
he could not fail to be arrested by so perfect an interpretation of his mood。
He stood rooted； was carried back again in imagination to a great artiste's
rendering of that story of fierce passion and aching desire so brilliantly
enacted under the white sunbeat of a country of cloudless skies。
Imperceptibly she drifted into other parts of the opera。 Was it the wild；
gypsy seductiveness of _Carmen_ that he felt； or； rather； this American
girl's allurement？ From 〃Love will like a birdling fly〃 she slipped into the
exquisitely graceful snatches of song with wh