when she had left her home--a
home which had also been a world with its own laws and environment--had
brought her into contact with other views. Her father's death had left
the house no longer the same. Two independent souls, with strong
views, may succeed in fashioning their own world, and she and her
father had been two such.

One left unsupported may fail, and now she was alone--for Joe hardly
counted.

Ever since she had been old enough to think at all, she had been
inordinately proud of "being a man," and profoundly contemptuous of the
women about her whose colorless lives spelled thraldom and hard
servitude.

That long fostered and passionately held creed would die hard. She
would fight herself and whomsoever else challenged its acceptance--but
insidious doubts were assailing her.

So to all outward seeming Alexander McGivins was more the "he-woman"
than ever before, but in her inner heart the leaven of change was at
its yeasty work.

"I've got ter be a man," she told Joe, who mildly objected, even while
he leaned on her strength. "Now thet paw's gone, I hev greater need
then ever ter stand squ'ar on my own two feet."

The youth nodded. "I reckon ye're right," he acknowledged, "but folks
talks a heap. I'm always figgerin' thet I'm goin' ter hev ter lick
somebody erbout ye. I wouldn't suffer nobody ter speak ill of ye when
I war present."

Alexander looked steadily at the boy. "I'm obleeged ter ye, but I'll
do my own fightin', Joe," she told him calmly. "I'll even make shift
ter do some o' your'n, an' yit----" She paused a moment and he
inquired, "Wa'al, what's on yore mind, Alexander?"

"An' yit," she went on more slowly and thoughtfully, "I'd be mighty
nigh willin' ter prove ther cause of ye gittin' in one or two good
fights--ef hit couldn't be brought ter pass no other way."

"Paw always counseled peace, ef a feller warn't pushed too fur," he
alleged in defense of his pacific attitude.

"So does I. But Joe, hit's jest on yore own account thet I'd like ter
see ye show more sperit. Folks talks erbout _you_ too. I know what
blood ye've got, commandin' blood--an' ef ye got roused up onc't hit'd
mek a more upstandin' man of ye. I knows hit's a lie, but I've heered
ye called ther disablest feller on Shoulder-blade!"

A touch of contempt stole into her voice as she added, "An' yore paw's
only son!"

He went away somewhat sulkily, but she had ignited in him a spark of
needed torture. Bre