Mutinously, the girl stood her ground, catching her breath in sobbing excitement.
“But, Dad, you don’t understand——”
“One more word from you, miss, and you leave the room. One more word, and we’ll cut out the gymkhana at Grand Valley next week.”
Turning to the foreman:
“Now, sir, explain yourself—explain the meaning of this damnation, unwarranted intrusion into my house.”
Slowly, gathering courage as he went along, Bully Bill told the tale of the branding.
P. D., finger tips of either hand precisely touching, heard him through with ill-concealed impatience and finally snapped:
“And you adjudge a man a coward because of a few words said while in a condition of semi-hysteria and delirium. Pi-shshsh! Any half-baked psychologist would tell you that a man is not responsible for his vague utterances at such a time. The evidence you adduce, sir, is inconclusive, not to say preposterous, and damned piffling and trifling. By Gad! sir, the rôle of judge and jury does not become you. You’re hired to take care of my cows, not to blaggard my men. What’s been this man’s work?”
“General hand, sir.”
“Efficient?”