whole
thing? He wanted to know just where I stood on the Old Juan--and he
wanted to get me in bad with you."

"With me?"

"Yes, with you! Why, can't you see his game? If he can get you to
throw your vote against me he can knock me out of my control. Add your
stock to Stoddard's and it makes us fifty-fifty--a deadlock, with
Jepson in charge. And if he thought for a minute that I couldn't fire
him he'd thumb his nose in my face."

Mary smiled at this picture of primitive defiance in a battle of
grown-up men and yet she saw dimly that Rimrock was right in his
estimate of Jepson's motives. Jepson did have a way that was subtly
provocative and his little eyes were shifty, like a boxer's. As the
two men faced each other she could feel the antagonism in every word
that they said; and, looking at it as he did, it seemed increasingly
reasonable that Rimrock's way was the best. It was better just to
fight back without showing his hand and let Jepson guess what he could.

"But if we'd stand together--" she began at last and Rimrock's face lit
up.

"That's it!" he said, leaping forward with his hand out, "will you
shake on it? You know I'm all right!"

"But not _always_ right," she answered smiling, and put her hand in
his. "But you're honest, anyway; and I like you for that. It's
agreed, then; we stand together!"

"No-ow, that's the talk!" grinned Rimrock approvingly, "and besides, I
need you, little Mary."

He held on to her hand but she wrested it away and turned blushing to
her work.

"Don't be foolish!" she said, but her feelings were not hurt for she
was smiling again in a minute. "Don't you know," she confided, "I feel
utterly helpless when it comes to this matter of the mine. Everything
about it seems so absolutely preposterous that I'm glad I'm not going
to be a Director."

"But you are!" came back Rimrock, "now don't tell me different; because
you're bull-headed, once you've put yourself on record. There ain't
another living soul that I can trust to take that directorship. Even
Old Hassayamp down here--and I'd trust him anywhere--might get drunk
and vote the wrong way. But you----"

"You don't know me yet," she replied with decision. "I won't get
drunk, but I've got to be convinced. And if you can't convince me that
your way is right--and reasonable and just, as well--I give you notice
that I'll vote against you. Now! What are you going to say?"

"All right!" he answered promptly, "th