ust to spite them."

"That's right!" laughed Rimrock--"hello there, Porfilio--I built it
just to make 'em look cheap. By grab, I'm an Injun and I won't soon
forget the way they used to pass me by on the street. But now it's
different--my name is Mister, and that's one bunch I never will know."

"They know _me_, now," she suggested slyly, "but I'm afraid I'm part
Indian, too."

"You're right!" he said as he guided her through the crowd and led the
way out into the street. "Let's walk up and down--I don't dare to go
out alone, or the boys will all get me drunk. But that's right," he
went on, "I've been thinking it over--you can forgive, but you never
forget."

"Well, perhaps so," she replied, "but I don't spend much of my time in
planning out some elaborate revenge. Now those marble steps--do you
know what Mr. Stoddard said when he came out to inspect the mine?"

"No, and what's more, I don't care," answered Rimrock lightly. "I'm
fixed so I don't have to care. Mr. Stoddard is all right--he's a nice
able provider, but we're running this mine, ourselves."

He squeezed her hand where she had slipped it through his arm and
looked down with a triumphant smile.

"We, Us and Company!" he went on unctuously, "fifty-one per cent. of
the stock!"

"Does Stoddard know that?" she asked him suddenly, looking up to read
the words from his lips. "I noticed when he was here he treated me
very politely, whereas Mr. Jepson didn't fare nearly so well."

"You bet he knows it," answered Rimrock explosively. "And Jepson will
know it, too. The first thing I do will be to get rid of our dummy and
make you a Director in the Company. I'm going to take charge here and
your one per cent. of stock entitles you to a bona-fide place on the
Board."

"Well, I'd think that over first," she advised after a silence,
"because I foresee we sha'n't always agree. And if it's a dummy you
want you'd better keep Mr. Buckbee. I'm fully capable of voting you
down."

"No, I'll take a chance on it," he went on, smiling amiably. "All I
ask is that you let me know. If you want to buck me, why, that's your
privilege--you get a vote with me and Stoddard."

"Well, we'll talk that over," she said, laughing indulgently, "when
you're not feeling so trustful and gay. This is one of those times
I've heard you tell about when you feel like walking the wires. The
morning after will be much more appropriate for considering an affair
of this kind."