logs；　of　canvas；　prematurely　decayed；　and　in　some　instances
  abandoned　for　a　newer　erection；　or　degraded　to　mere　outhousesit
  presented　with　singular　frankness　the　nomadic　and　tentative
  disposition　of　its　founder。　　It　had　been　repaired　without　being
  improved；　its　additions　had　seemed　only　to　extend　its　primitive
  ugliness　over　a　larger　space。　　Its　roofs　were　roughly　shingled　or
  rudely　boarded　and　battened；　and　the　rafters　of　some　of　its　〃lean…
  to's〃　were　simply　covered　with　tarred　canvas。　　As　if　to　settle　any
  doubt　of　the　impossibility　of　this　heterogeneous　mass　ever　taking
  upon　itself　any　picturesque　combination；　a　small　building　of
  corrugated　iron；　transported　in　sections　from　some　remoter
  locality；　had　been　set　up　in　its　centre。　　The　McKinstry　ranch　had
  long　been　an　eyesore　to　the　master：　even　that　morning　he　had　been
  mutely　wondering　from　what　convolution　of　that　hideous　chrysalis
  the　bright　butterfly　Cressy　had　emerged。　　It　was　with　a　renewal　of
  this　curiosity　that　he　had　just　seen　her　flutter　back　to　it　again。
  A　yellow　dog　who　had　observed　him　hesitating　in　doubt　where　he
  should　enter；　here　yawned；　rose　from　the　sunlight　where　he　had　been
  blinking；　approached　the　master　with　languid　politeness；　and　then
  turned　towards　the　iron　building　as　if　showing　him　the　way。　　Mr。
  Ford　followed　him　cautiously；　painfully　conscious　that　his
  hypocritical　canine　introducer　was　only　availing　himself　of　an
  opportunity　to　gain　ingress　into　the　house；　and　was　leading　him　as
  a　responsible　accomplice　to　probable　exposure　and　disgrace。　　His
  expectation　was　quickly　realized：　a　lazily　querulous；　feminine
  outcry；　with　the　words；　〃Yer's　that　darned　hound　agin！〃　came　from
  an　adjacent　room；　and　his　exposed　and　abashed　companion　swiftly
  retreated　past　him　into　the　road　again。　　Mr。　Ford　found　himself
  alone　in　a　plainly…furnished　sitting…room　confronting　the　open　door
  leading　to　another　apartment　at　which　the　figure　of　a　woman；
  preceded　hastily　by　a　thrown　dishcloth；　had　just　appeared。　　It　was
  Mrs。　McKinstry；　her　sleeves　were　rolled　up　over　her　red　but　still
  shapely　arms；　and　as　she　stood　there　wiping　them　on　her　apron；　with
  her　elbows　advanced；　and　her　closed　hands　raised　alternately　in　the
  air；　there　was　an　odd　pugilistic　suggestion　in　her　attitude。　　It
  was　not　lessened　on　her　sudden　discovery　of　the　master　by　her
  retreating　backwards　with　her　hands　up　and　her　elbows　still　well
  forward　as　if　warily　retiring　to　an　imaginary　〃corner。〃
  Mr。　Ford　at　once　tactfully　stepped　back　from　the　doorway。　　〃I　beg
  your　pardon；〃　he　said；　delicately　addressing　the　opposite　wall；
  〃but　I　found　the　door　open　and　I　followed　the　dog。〃
  〃That's　just　one　of　his　pizenous　tricks；〃　responded　Mrs。　McKinstry
  dolefully　from　within。　　〃On'y　last　week　he　let　in　a　Chinaman；　and
  in　the　nat'ral　hustlin'　that　follered　he　managed　to　help　himself
  outer　the　pork　bar'l。　　There　ain't　no　shade　o'　cussedness　that
  or'nary　hound　ain't　up　to。〃　　Yet　notwithstanding　this　ominous
  comparison　she　presently　made　her　appearance　with　her　sleeves
  turned　down；　her　black　woollen　dress　〃tidied；〃　and　a　smile　of
  fatigued　but　not　unkindly　welcome　and　protection　on　her　face。
  Dusting　a　chair　with　her　apron　and　placing　it　before　the　master；
  she　continued　maternally；　〃Now　that　you're　here；　set　ye　right　down
  and　make　yourself　to　home。　　My　men　folks　are　all　out　o'　door；　but
  some　of　'em's　sure　to　happen　in　soon　for　suthin'；　that　day　ain't
  yet　created　that　they　don't　come　huntin'　up　Mammy　McKinstry　every
  five　minutes　for　this　thing　or　that。〃
  The　glow　of　a　certain　hard　pride　burned　through　the　careworn
  languor　of　her　brown　cheek。　　What　she　had　said　was　strangely　true。
  This　raw…boned　woman　before　him；　although　scarcely　middle…aged；　had
  for　years　occupied　a　self…imposed　maternal　and　protecting　relation；
  not　only　to　her　husband　and　brothers；　but　to　the　three　or　four　men；
  who　as　partners；　or　hired　hands；　lived　at　the　ranch。　　An　inherited
  and　trained　sympathy　with　what　she　called　her　〃boys's〃　and　her　〃men
  folk；〃　and　their　needs　had　partly　unsexed　her。　　She　was　a　fair　type
  of　a　class　not　uncommon　on　the　Southwestern　frontier；　women　who
  were　ruder　helpmeets　of　their　rude　husbands　and　brothers；　who　had
  shared　their　privations　and　sufferings　with　surly；　masculine
  endurance；　rather　than　feminine　patience；　women　who　had　sent　their
  loved　ones　to　hopeless　adventure　or　terrible　vendetta　as　a　matter
  of　course；　or　with　partisan　fury；　who　had　devotedly　nursed　the
  wounded　to　keep　alive　the　feud；　or　had　received　back　their　dead
  dry…eyed　and　revengeful。　　Small　wonder　that　Cressy　McKinstry　had
  developed　strangely　under　this　sexless　relationship。　　Looking　at
  the　mother；　albeit　not　without　a　certain　respect；　Mr。　Ford　found
  himself　contrasting　her　with　the　daughter's　graceful　femininity；
  and　wondering　where　in　Cressy's　youthful　contour　the　possibility　of
  the　grim　figure　before　him　was　even　now　hidden。
  〃Hiram　allowed　to　go　over　to　the　schoolhouse　and　see　you　this
  mornin'；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry；　after　a　pause；　〃but　I　reckon　ez　how
  he　had　to　look　up　stock　on　the　river。　　The　cattle　are　that　wild
  this　time　o'　year；　huntin'　water；　and　hangin'　round　the　tules；　that
  my　men　are　nigh　worrited　out　o'　their　butes　with　'em。　　Hank　and　Jim
  ain't　been　off　their　mustangs　since　sun　up；　and　Hiram；　what　with
  partrollen'　the　West　Boundary　all　night；　watchin'　stakes　whar　them
  low　down　Harrisons　hev　been　trespassin'hasn't　put　his　feet　to　the
  ground　in　fourteen　hours。　　Mebbee　you　noticed　Hiram　ez　you　kem
  along？　　Ef　so；　ye　didn't　remember　what　kind　o'　shootin'　irons　he
  had　with　him？　　I　see　his　rifle　over　yon。　　Like　ez　not　he'z　only　got
  his　six…shooter；　and　them　Harrisons　are　mean　enough　to　lay　for　him
  at　long　range。　　But；〃　she　added；　returning　to　the　less　important
  topic；　〃I　s'pose　Cressy　came　all　right。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　hopelessly。
  〃I　reckon　she　looked　so；〃　continued　Mrs。　McKinstry；　with　tolerant
  abstraction。　　〃She　allowed　to　do　herself　credit　in　one　of　them　new
  store　gownds　that　she　got　at　Sacramento。　　At　least　that's　what　some
  of　our　men　said。　　Late　years；　I　ain't　kept　tech　with　the　fashions
  myself。〃　　She　passed　her　fingers　explanatorily　down　the　folds　of
  her　own　coarse　gown；　but　without　regret　or　apology。
  〃She　seemed　well　prepared　in　her　lessons；〃　said　the　master；
  abandoning　for　the　moment　that　criticism　of　his　pupil's　dress；
  which　he　saw　was　utterly　futile；　〃but　am　I　to　understand　that　she
  is　coming　regularly　to　schoolthat　she　is　now　perfectly　free　to
  give　her　entire　attention　to　her　studiesthatthather
  engagement　is　broken　off？〃
  〃Why；　didn't　she　tell　ye？〃　echoed　Mrs。　McKinstry　in　languid
  surprise。
  〃SHE　certainly　did；〃　said　the　master　with　slight　embarrassment；
  〃but〃
  〃Ef　SHE　said　so；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　abstractedly；　〃she
  oughter　know；　and　you　kin　tie　to　what　she　says。〃
  〃But　as　I'm　responsible　to　PARENTS　and　not　to　scholars　for　the
  discipline　of　my　school；〃　returned　the　young　man　a　little　stiffly；
  〃I　thought　it　my　duty　to　hear　it　from　YOU。〃
  〃That's　so；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry　meditatively；　〃then　I　reckon　you'd
  better　see　Hiram。　　That　ar'　Seth　Davis　engagement　was　a　matter　of
  hern　and　her　father's；　and　not　in　MY　line。　　I　'spose　that　Hiram
  nat'rally　allows　to　set　the　thing　square　to　you　and　inquirin'
  friends。〃
  〃I　hope　you　understand；〃　said　the　master；　slightly　resenting　the
  classification；　〃that　my　reason　for　inquiring　about　the　permanency
  of　your　daughter's　attendance　was　simply　because　it　might　be
  necessary　to　arrange　her　studies　in　a　way　more　suitable　to　her
  years；　perhaps　even　to　suggest　to　you　that　a　young　ladies'　seminary
  might　be　more　satisfactory〃
  〃Sartain；　sartain；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　hurriedly；　but
  whether　from　evasion　of　annoying　suggestion　or　weariness　of　the
  topic；　the　master　could　not　determine。　　〃You'd　better　speak　to
  Hiram　about　it。　　On'y；〃　she　hesitated　slightly；　〃ez　he's　got　now
  sorter　set　and　pinted　towards　your　school；　and　is　a　trifle　worrited
  with　stock　and　them　Harrisons；　ye　might　tech　it　lightly。　　He
  oughter　be　along　yer　now。　　I　can't　think　what　keeps　him。〃　　Her　eye
  wandered　again　with　troubled　preoccupation　to　the　corner　where　her
  husband's　Sharps'　rifle　stood。　　Suddenly　she　raised　her　voice　as　if
  forgetful　of　Mr。　Ford's　presence。
  〃O　Cressy！〃
  〃O　Maw！〃
  The　response　came　from　the　inner　room。　　The　next　moment　Cressy
  appeared　at　the　door　with　an　odd　half…lazy　defiance　in　her　manner；
  which　the　master　could　not　understand　except　upon　the　hypothesis
  that　she　had　been　listening。　　She　had　already　changed　her　elaborate
  toilet　for　a　long　clinging；　coarse　blue　gown；　that　accented　the
  graceful　curves　of　her　slight；　petticoat…less　figure。　　Nodding　her
  head　towards　the　master；　she　said；　〃Howdy？〃　and　turned　to　her
  mother；　who　practically　ignored　their　personal　acquaintance。
  〃Cressy；〃　she　said；　〃Dad's　gone　and　left　his　Sharps'　yer；　d'ye　mind
  takin'　it　along　to　mee