it would be; her brother's character
was at that unstable stage when it was ready to run into the mould.
She had brought him here, from the city to the rim of the desert--the
step had been her doing, nobody's but hers. And she had come here far
less for the sake of Elmer Page's cough than for the sake of his
manhood. She wanted him to grow to be a man one could be proud of;
there were times when his eyes evaded her and she feared the outcome.

"He is just a boy," she told herself, seeking courage. It seemed such
a brief time ago that she had blown his nose for him and washed his
face. She made excuses for him, but did not close her eyes to the
truth. The good old saw that boys will be boys failed to make of Elmer
all that she would have him.

Further to this consideration was another matter which filled the hours
for her. The few dollars with which she had established herself in San
Juan marched in steady procession out of her purse and fewer other
dollars came to take their places. The Indian Ramorez whose stomach
trouble she had mitigated came full of gratitude and Casa Blanca
whiskey and paid La Senorita Doctor as handsomely as he could; he gave
her his unlimited and eternal thanks and a very beautiful hair rope.
Neither helped her very greatly to pay for room and board. Another
Indian offered her a pair of chickens; a third paid her seventy-five
cents on account and promised the rest soon. When she came to know his
type better she realized that he had done exceptionally well by her.

She went often to the Engles', growing to love all three of them, each
in a different way. Florrie she found vain, spoiled, selfish, but all
in so frank a fashion that in return for an admittedly half-jealous
admiration she gave a genuine affection. And she was glad to see how
Elmer made friends with them, always appearing at his best in their
home. He and Florrie were already as intimate as though they had grown
up with a back-yard fence separating their two homes; they criticised
each other with terrible outspokenness, they made fun of each other,
they very frequently "hated and despised" each other and, utterly
unknown to either Florrie Engle or Elmer Page, were the best of friends.

Of Roderick Norton San Juan saw little through these weeks. He came
now and then, twice ate with Virginia and Elmer at Struve's, talked
seriously with John Engle, teased Florrie, and went away upon the
business which called him elsewhere