"Look here, Gratton," he said bluntly, "as far as I can see there is no reason why Miss Gaynor should pay the least attention to your effervescings if she doesn't care to. She is a free agent and under no obligations to you."
"I'll ask your opinion when I want it," snapped Gratton. "Miss Gloria----"
"You asked me something?" said Gloria. "Pardon me. I didn't hear."
Her aloof reply disconcerted him. Her attitude was spontaneous, unaffected, and hence unconsciously one of polite indifference. Suddenly Gratton, fume as he would, had become of not the least importance.
"You said that you would marry me. Not a dozen minutes ago."
"Did I?" she demanded coolly. "Are you quite sure I said that?"
"Look here, Miss Gloria." It was Jim Spalding, who had been ill at ease all along and now had the brains and perhaps the delicacy to understand that this was no place for him. "If you don't need me after all, I'll go."
"And the rest of us with you," said King. "If Miss Gaynor cares to talk things over with Gratton----"
Gloria put out her hand impulsively, touching King's arm.
"You stay. Please. Until--he goes."
King inclined his head gravely, not realizing that his body stiffened under her light touch.
"What about me?" demanded the "judge" sharply. "Am I needed or ain't I?"
"I'd say not this evening," King's dry voice answered him. "Good-night to you."
"That's a fine way to treat a man," cried Summerling truculently. "Here I ride all this way in the dark, and without stoppin' for so much as supper; here I ain't had a bite to eat since dinner-time, and it's good-night and get out! And that hundred dollars I was to get so fast, how about that? Think I'm the man to let folks trample on me and----"
"Maybe Jim will give you a hand-out at his cabin," King told him. "As for your money, get it out of Gratton if he promised it to you--or," he added with a flash of heat, "take it out of his hide, for all I care."
"Wait for me outside, Summerling," muttered Gratton. "I haven't said you won't be needed, have I?"
"Just the same, I wouldn't mind takin' what's comin' to me now----"
"Man alive!" shouted Gratton, whirling on him. "Haven't I got enough on my hands without you yelping at me?"