e; the worst came from the mothers. And all that he could say for
himself was, "I am getting off too easy."

"But what was your point?" said Westfall.

"Blamed if I know any more. I expect it must have been the whiskey."

"I would mind it less," said Mrs. Westfall, "if you looked a bit sorry
or ashamed."

The Virginian shook his head at her penitently. "I'm tryin' to," he
said.

And thus he sat disarming his accusers until they began to lunch upon
the copious remnants of the barbecue. He did not join them at this meal.
In telling you that Mrs. Dow was the only lady absent upon this historic
morning, I was guilty of an inadvertence. There was one other.

The Virginian rode away sedately through the autumn sunshine; and as
he went he asked his Monte horse a question. "Do yu' reckon she'll have
forgotten you too, you pie-biter?" said he. Instead of the new trousers,
the cow-puncher's leathern chaps were on his legs. But he had the new
scarf knotted at his neck. Most men would gladly have equalled him in
appearance. "You Monte," said he, "will she be at home?"

It was Sunday, and no school day, and he found her in her cabin that
stood next the Taylors' house. Her eyes were very bright.

"I'd thought I'd just call," said he.

"Why, that's such a pity! Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are away."

"Yes; they've been right busy. That's why I thought I'd call. Will yu'
come for a ride, ma'am?"

"Dear me! I--"

"You can ride my hawss. He's gentle."

"What! And you walk?"

"No, ma'am. Nor the two of us ride him THIS time, either." At this she
turned entirely pink, and he, noticing, went on quietly: "I'll catch up
one of Taylor's hawsses. Taylor knows me."

"No. I don't really think I could do that. But thank you. Thank you very
much. I must go now and see how Mrs. Taylor's fire is."

"I'll look after that, ma'am. I'd like for yu' to go ridin' mighty well.
Yu' have no babies this mawnin' to be anxious after."

At this shaft, Grandmother Stark flashed awake deep within the spirit of
her descendant, and she made a haughty declaration of war. "I don't know
what you mean, sir," she said.

Now was his danger; for it was easy to fall into mere crude impertinence
and ask her why, then, did she speak thus abruptly? There were various
easy things of this kind for him to say. And any rudeness would have
lost him the battle. But the Virginian was not the man to lose such
a battle in such a way. His shaft had hit. She thought he refer