said shortly:

"So your name's Betty. Betty what?"

"Clayton."

"An' your grandpap?"

"Malcolm Clayton."

"Who's Bob?"

"My brother."

"Any more Claytons around here?" he sneered.

"No."

"Well," he said with truculent insolence; "what in Sam Hill are you-all
doin' at the Lazy Y, anyway?"

"I am coming to that presently," she returned, unruffled.

"Goin' to work your jaw again, I reckon?" he taunted.

The hard calm came again into her face as she looked at him, though
behind it was that subtle quality that hinted of her possession of
advantage. Her manner made plain to him that she held some mysterious
power over him, a power which she valued, even enjoyed, and he was
nettled, baffled, and afflicted with a deep rage against her because of
it. Dealing with a man he would have known what to do, but he felt
strangely impotent in the presence of this girl, for she was not
disturbed over his insults, and her quiet, direct glances affected him
with a queer sensation of guilt, even embarrassed him.

"Well?" he prompted, after a silence.

"I am going to tell you about your father," she said.

"Make it short," he said gruffly.

"Five years ago," said the girl, ignoring the insolent suggestion; "my
father and mother died. My father had been a big cattle owner," she
added with a flash of pride. "He was very wealthy; he was educated,
refined--a gentleman. We lived in Texas--lived well. I attended a
university in the South. In my second year there I was called home
suddenly. My father was ill from shock and disappointment. He had
invested heavily in some northern enterprise--it will not interest you
to know the nature of it--and had lost his entire fortune. His ranch
property was involved and had to be sold. There was barely enough to
satisfy the creditors. Father died and mother soon followed him.
Grandfather, Bob, and I were left destitute. We left the ranch and
took up a quarter section of land on the Nueces. We became nesters and
were continually harassed by a big cattle owner nearby who wanted our
range. We had to get out. Grandfather thought there might be an
opportunity to take up some land in this territory. Bob was--well, Bob
took mother's death so hard that we didn't want to stay in Texas any
longer. The outlook wasn't bright. Bob was too young to work--"

"Lazy, I reckon," jeered Calumet.

The girl's eyes flashed with a swift, contemptuous resentment and her
voice chilled. "B