colored eye, a bruised cheek, and with skinned and bandaged knuckles,
but cheerful and sunny of demeanor, sat facing McClintock. Boland and
Sedgwick sat a little to one side. They had tried to withdraw, on the
plea of intrusion; but McClintock had overruled them and bade them stay.

"For the few high words that passed atween us, I care not a
boddle--though, for the cause of them I take shame to myself," said
McClintock, glancing down affectionately at Mary Selden. "I was the more
misled--at the contrivance of yon fleechin' scoundrel of an Oscar. 'I'm
off to Arizona, to win the boy free,' says he--the leein' cur!... I will
say this thing, too, that my heart warmed to the lad at the very time of
it--that he had spunk to speak his mind. I have seen too much of the
supple stock. Sirs, it is but an ill thing to be over-rich, in which
estate mankind is seen at the worst. The fawning sort cringe underfoot
for favors, and the true breed of kindly folk are all o'erapt to pass the
rich man by, verra scornful-like." He looked hard at Peter Johnson. "I am
naming no names," he added.

"As for my gear, it would be a queer thing if I could not do what I like
with my own. Even a gay young birkie like yoursel' should understand
that, Mr. Johnson. Besides, we talk of what is by. The lawyer has been;
Van Lear has given him instructions, and the pack of you shall witness my
hand to the bit paper that does Stan right, or ever you leave this room."

Pete shrugged his shoulders. "Stanley will always be feelin' that I
softied it up to you. And he's a stiff-necked one--Stan!"

McClintock laughed with a relish.

"For all ye are sic a fine young man, Mr. Johnson, I'm doubtin' ye're no
deeplomat. And Stan will be knowin' that same. Here is what ye shall do:
you shall go to him and say that you saw an old man sitting by his
leelane, handfast to the chimney neuk; and that you are thinking I will
be needin' a friendly face, and that you think ill of him for that same
stiff neck of his. Ye will be having him come to seek and not to gie;
folk aye like better to be forgiven than to forgive; I do, mysel'. That
is what you shall do for me."

"And I did not come to coax money from you to develop the mine with,
either," said Pete. "If the play hadn't come just this way, with the jail
and all, you would have seen neither hide nor hair of me."

"I am thinkin' that you are one who has had his own way of it overmuch,"
said McClintock. His little red eyes