y he murmured: "Doggone! We never have any
more fun." He turned toward the door.

"Where are you going, dad?"

"I got to see a man; back in an hour. Anybody calls--"

"You know you won't be back in an hour. Where are you going?"

"I got to see--What is it?"

"Bob" hesitated. "I wish you'd stay here. I think Mr. Gray arrived this
morning, and I expect him in."

Tom decided that he had made Judge Halloran wait long enough. He should
have been in the old rascal's king row by this time. So he said,
briskly, "Wish I could, son, but I got to see a man."

"Mr. Gray was here several times before he went away, but you were
always out." When her father showed no inclination to tarry, Barbara
spoke with more impatience than she had ever used toward him. "I want
him to meet you, dad, for he has come back on purpose to take up that
Jackson well. If I devote all my time to business, it seems to me you
could afford to sacrifice an hour to it, just this once. That checker
game can wait."

Tom Parker stiffened. Sacrifice an hour to business, just once! That
_was_ a blow. As if his nose was not at the grindstone day in and day
out! As if he were not practically chained to this office! As if
unremitting application to business had not wrecked him--worn him to
the bone--made an insomniac of him! That was the worst about children,
boys especially; they twitted their elders; they thought they were the
whole works; they assumed undue importance. Tom was offended, and,
being a stubborn man, he bowed his back.

"Tell him to wait," he said, curtly. "I'll get around to it soon as I
can."

"Why, _dad_! He isn't a man who can wait. This deal won't wait, either."

"I been talking over that Jackson well with--with a man, and I got
him--"

"I asked you not to mention it--not to a soul. It is a very important
matter and--"

Now Tom had not discussed the Jackson well, except casually with Judge
Halloran, but every word that "Bob" spoke rankled, so he interrupted
with a resentful query:

"Ain't I equal to han'le an important deal?"

"Bob" acknowledged quickly that he was. She had not meant to criticize
his ability to conduct negotiations of the very highest importance, but
she was surprised, in view of her earnest request, that he had even
mentioned this particular matter to anybody. She reminded him that
insurance was his forte, and that their understanding had been that she
was to take exclusive charge of their oil business. While s