s. Gallito,
pale under her paint, was nervously biting her handkerchief and glancing
from one man to the other, while the Pearl leaned back in her chair as
lazily, languidly, scornfully indifferent as ever.

Then Hanson laughed, and a little thrill went over the room. The new man
was game. "Ain't that just your ruling, stranger?" he asked pleasantly.
"Since we've not been introduced, I can't call your name. But I hold
that it is etiquette. Jimmy, get on your job. The occasion when I first
set my eyes upon the Black Pearl has got to be honored."

"Hold on just a moment, Jimmy." It was Flick now. "You see," again to
Hanson, his voice more apologetic than ever, "you being new here,
naturally don't understand. It ain't etiquette on a Benefit night, when
Miss Pearl Gallito, whose name you have, most unfortunately, just
miscalled, condescends to dance. I'm afraid I got to ask you to take
back your order and to apologize to Miss Gallito."

Hanson was on his feet in a minute. "I'm sure ready now and always to
apologize my humblest to Miss Gallito, although I don't know what's the
offense. But the order stands."

"Oh, Pearl," wailed her mother, "you raise mischief wherever you go. You
know Bob wouldn't go on so if you'd ask him to stop. You just like to
raise the devil."

Then, for the first time, the Pearl's face became animated. It broke
into brilliance, her eyes gleamed, she showed her white teeth when she
laughed.

"Quit your fooling, both of you," she said composedly, rising to her
feet. "I ain't going to have tales flying all over the desert about the
ructions stirred up the night I danced for the benefit of the flood
sufferers. Shake hands, you two," imperiously. "Go on, do what I tell
you. That's right," as the two men perfunctorily shook hands. "Bob don't
mean a thing, Mr. Hanson. It's just his temper, and there ain't going to
be any wine, because I'm going home, but--" and here she smiled into his
eyes--"you can walk a piece of the way with me, if you want to. Come on,
mother and Hughie. Good-night, Bob."

CHAPTER II

Hanson had decided that the best way to gain certain information he
desired was to seek the bar-keeper, who, after his constitution,
gossiped as naturally and as volubly as a bird sings; so, quite early
the next morning, he sauntered into Chickasaw Pete's place.

Jimmy, who was industriously polishing the bar and singing the while one
of the more lugubrious and monotonous hymns, looked