y
afraid of one thing."

"What, pray?"

"Ridicule! You see, I'm egotistical and ostentatious. Oh, very!
Disgustingly vain, in fact. If I were unconscious of it, I'd be
unbearable, but--it amuses me as much as it amuses others, and that
takes the curse off of it. I am delighted at some of my own antics. I
love to swagger and I adore an audience, but to be laughed at by others
would kill me. Ridicule! Scorn! I'm insensible to anything except
those."

"You're a queer man."

Gray's gaze became fixed; there was a peculiar light--almost a
glitter--in his eyes; he talked on as if voicing some engrossing
thought. "Of course, I'm vindictive--that's a part of the swashbuckling
character; it goes with the ruffles, the jack boots, and the swagger.
It is a luxury of which I am extremely jealous." Bringing his attention
back to the girl, he smiled and his manner changed abruptly. "There!
I've proved it all by talking about myself when I'm interested only in
you. However, it is sometimes easier to sell a thing by frankly
decrying it than by covering up its bad points, and I'm trying
desperately to make a good impression upon you. Now then, I'm
tremendously interested in what you have told me about yourself, and
I'm sure you are a better oil man--oil girl--than you have led me to
suppose. But these are no times for social pleasantries. We are living
in bedlam. There is nothing in the air but business--oil--profits. You
are a business woman, and if we are to become as well acquainted as I
hope we will, it must be the result of a common business interest. So,
then, for a bargain. I am going to enter this field in a large way; if
you will take me for a client, I will buy and sell through you whenever
possible. Perhaps we can even speculate together now and then. I'll
guarantee you against loss. What do you say?"

"Why--it's a splendid opportunity for me. And I know of some good
things; I'm overflowing with information, in fact. For instance--"
Barbara hurriedly produced her oil map and, shoving aside the dishes in
front of her, she spread it upon the table. "There is a wildcat going
down out here that looks awfully good." As she indicated a tiny circle
marked into the corner of one square, Gray noted that there was a
dimple at the base of her finger. "The scouts don't think much of it,
but I happen to know it is on a structure and has a good showing of
oil. The driller is a friend of mine, and he has told me that his
casing is s