extravagance. "'Miss Good'?" he said,
curiously. "Why does he call you that, 'Bob'?"

"A secret! A little game of pretense," Gray declared, nastily. "For the
sake of our friendship, Colonel, don't tell me her real name and rob me
of the pleasure of hearing it from her own lips. Come, Miss Good!
Enough of money making and oil wells and stupid business affairs. I am
going to bear you away upon my arm, even at the risk of displeasing my
superior officer. Ha! Lucky the war is over. Now then, your promise."

Gray's impetuosity, his buoyancy, robbed his speech of boldness,
nevertheless Barbara Parker flushed faintly. She was ill at ease; she
felt sure she had erred in interrupting these two men; she was glad of
an excuse to leave.

Gray lingered a moment, long enougn for his eyes to meet those of the
banker. In his there was a light of triumph, of mockery, as he said:

"A pleasant interview, wasn't it, Colonel? And now we understand each
other perfectly. A fair fight and no quarter asked."

Henry Nelson stood motionless as he watched his two callers leave the
bank together, then slowly he clenched his muscular hands, and from his
lips there issued an oath better left unwritten.

CHAPTER XI

It was several moments after they had left the bank before "Bob" Parker
could manage to slip a word in edgewise, so rapid, so eager was Gray's
flow of conversation, so genuine was his pleasure at again seeing her.
Finally, however, she inquired, curiously:

"What was it you said to Henry Nelson as I came out? 'No quarter
asked'?"

Her escort stared down at her, his brows lifted, his tone betrayed
blank astonishment. "'No quarter asked'? Bless me! What are you talking
about?" Then his face cleared. "Now I remember--I said I had found
quarters at last. The town is so crowded, you know; I didn't want him
to feel bound to put me up. I abhor visiting. Don't you?"

"Are you really good friends? I felt very queer, the instant after I
had walked in. But--I was bursting with good news and I couldn't see
Henry's face until too late. Then, it seemed to me--"

"Nelson and I are scarcely 'good' friends--we never were chummy--but we
were thrown together in France and saw a lot of each other. At first,
my respect for him was not great, for he is a--difficult person to
understand; but as my understanding grew, so did my respect. He is a
remarkably capable man and a determined fighter. Admirable qualities in
a soldier. My call to-day was i