e you can
pull your freight, pronto. I'm goin' to boss this ranch. Do you get
me?"

She seemed amused. "The Lazy Y," she said slowly, her eyes gleaming,
"has need of something besides a boss. You have observed, I suppose,
that it is slightly run down. Your father purposely neglected it.
Considerable money and work will be required to place it in condition
where it can be bossed at all. I haven't any doubt," she added,
surveying him critically, "that you will be able to supply the
necessary labor. But what about the money? Are you well supplied with
that?"

"Meaning to hint about the money the old man left, I reckon?"

"Of course. Understand that I have control of that, and you won't get
a cent unless in my opinion you deserve it."

He glared savagely at her.

"Of course," she went on calmly, though there was triumph in her voice,
"you can force us to leave the ranch. But I suspect that you won't try
to do that, because if you did you would never get the money. I should
go directly over to Las Vegas and petition to have your claim annulled.
Then at the end of the year the money would be mine."

He stiffened with impotent rage as he took up his knife and fork again
and resumed eating. He was disagreeably conscious that she held the
advantage, for assuredly he had no intention of driving her from the
ranch or of leaving it himself until he got his hands on the money.
Besides, he thought he saw back of her unconcern over his probable
course of action a secret desire for him to leave or to drive her away,
and in the perversity of his heart he decided that both must stay.
Something might occur to reveal the whereabouts of the money, or he
could watch her, reasonably certain that one day her woman's curiosity
would lead her to its hiding place. Plainly, in any event, he must
bide his time. Though his decision to defer action was taken, his
resentment did not abate; he could not conquer the deep rage in his
heart against her because of her interference in his affairs, and when
he suddenly looked up to see her watching him with a calm smile he made
a grimace of hatred at her.

"I'll make you show your hand, you sufferin' fool!" he said. "If you
was a man I'd make you tell me right now where that corn is, or I'd
guzzle you till your tongue stuck out a yard. As it is, I reckon I've
got to wait until you get damn good an' ready; got to wait until a
measly, sneakin' woman--"

Her laugh interrupted him--low