"Heavens, no!" answered Allen with convincing sincerity, adding with a smile: "It is barely possible that my client might, though."
The old man started and stood upright, squaring his thin shoulders belligerently.
"You don't mean to tell me you're one o' those ornery lawyer cusses," he said, with a disgusted emphasis that angered the girls but apparently left Allen unmoved.
"A lawyer—but not ornery, I hope," he said pleasantly. "And my client is Mrs. Nelson, the new owner of the ranch. Is there anything else you would like to know about me?"
But the old man's anger had departed and he regarded Allen with a shrewd twinkle in his kindly blue eyes.
"Sorry, Son," he said. "I reckon there are some honest lawyers, though I never ain't met one yet—not round here leastways."
"Thanks for a rather doubtful compliment," laughed Allen. It was evident that he was enjoying the old man extremely. "I assure you, though I am not always honest, there are times when I try very hard to be." Then he suddenly added: "By the way, do you happen to know a man around here—one of those ornery lawyers—by the name of Peter Levine?"
Again Dan Higgins spat disgustedly.
"Know him!" he answered with a wealth of scorn in his voice. "I reckon most everybody round here knows him—an' they's mighty few knows any good o' him. Take my advice, Son, an' keep away from him."
"Thanks," said Allen dryly. "But the problem seems to be to keep him away from us. He is representing a client who wants to buy Gold Run Ranch."