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tonight, and Ernie would rather have him with him than against him.”
    Hardison grunted and looked searchingly at Chris, who shifted his feet faintly. “What’ll you do, son?”
    â€œLikely take it. My stake’s gone.”
    He felt Kate’s glance on him, and could even feel the reproof in it, but he did not look at her.
    â€œThere are other outfits,” Kate said quickly.
    â€œNone that’s offered me a job.”
    â€œDon’t peck at him,” Hardison said gently to Kate. “A man’s got to get his feet on the ground. How’s Abbie?”
    â€œHome. Want to go in now?”
    Hardison nodded, and Chris took the head of his pallet, Kate the foot. They carried him through the living room to the small bare bedroom beyond, and Chris was aware that a small anger was riding Kate. He could see it in the set of her wide lips, and he knew that she felt in some obscure way he had betrayed her confidence. She had asked him if he was going to work for Miles, and he’d said no; two hours later, he’d said yes. It troubled him faintly that he couldn’t tell her why he’d changed his mind, and then he thought, with the old selfishness, Why should I care what she thinks?
    He said good night to Walt Hardison and trailed Kate back through the living room to the corridor door. He noticed now for the first time that she was wearing a different dress, a green one with long sleeves and collar edged in a fine line of white lace that made her skin seem faintly golden. The fact that he had even noticed it surprised him, but now it was too late to even look at her; she was standing with the door open, unsmiling.
    â€œThank you for both your favors,” she told him, and he waited for that half smile, and it did not come and he went out.
    Kate paused a moment by the closed door, and then walked slowly back into the bedroom.
    â€œSurly devil,” she said, almost angrily, and glanced over at her father. He winked solemnly, and suddenly she laughed. “All right, Walt. Only he is.”
    â€œA good many men are.”
    â€œBut when I asked him to help me this afternoon, he seemed so willing. I even asked him if he was going to work for Younger, and when he said he wasn’t I gave Younger a cussing out.”
    â€œHe can change his mind.”
    â€œYes, but—” She paused, frowning in concentration, and then she shrugged. “I guess what I’m really mad about is that he went against my advice.”
    She went over to the chest of drawers against the wall, on top of which was a scattering of books, a pair of pipes, and a small size crock with a lid. She picked up one of the pipes, packed it expertly with tobacco from the crock, tamping down the load with a match. Then she put the pipe in her mouth, struck a match and lighted the tobacco, and when the pipe was drawing nicely, she handed it to her father. She retained a little of the smoke in her mouth, and blew it out gently, critically.
    Her father watched her with the faint amusement which this nightly ritual always afforded him.
    Now she sat down on the edge of the pallet, elbows on knees and regarded him thoughtfully. “What’s wrong with him?”
    â€œWho? Danning?” Her father smoked a moment, and then said, “I dunno. His spirit is deader than my legs. You can see it in his eyes.”
    â€œThey’re ugly. The rest of his face isn’t. He just doesn’t care.”
    â€œThen why should you?”
    Kate couldn’t answer that, and wished she could.

CHAPTER III
    Chris ate an early breakfast at a restaurant up the cross street and then cruised the other direction looking for a barbershop. He passed under the gallery of the hotel, and a swamper at the saloon across the street quit sloshing water on the boardwalk while he passed, giving him good morning.
    Beyond, the stores were opening up, and ahead, a clerk sweeping the boardwalk was in a good-natured wrangle with