He had
not meant to sit, had expected only to gloat a few minutes over
her despair; but this situation called for more deliberation. He
had yet to establish the mastery his vanity demanded. Therefore
he took a chair.
"This is ce'tainly an unexpected honor. Did y'u send for me to
explain some more about that sufficient understanding between
us?" he sneered.
It was a great relief to her to see that, though he had been
drinking, as she had heard, he was entirely master of himself.
Her efforts might still be directed to Philip sober.
"I sent for you to congratulate you," she answered, with a smile.
"You are a bigger man than I thought. You have done what you said
you would do, and I presume you can very shortly go out of
mourning."
He radiated vanity, seemed to visibly expand "Do y'u go in when I
go out?" he asked brutally.
She laughed lightly. "Hardly. But it does seem as if I'm unlucky
in my foremen. They all seem to have engagements across the
divide."
"I'll get y u another."
"Thank you. I was going to ask as much of you. Can you suggest
one now?"
"I'm a right good cattle man myself."
"And--can you stay with me a reasonable time?"
He laughed.
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