township." Turning to Stevens, he added, "Thar ain't no need fer any
cussin'." Amid complete silence he uncocked his shot-gun, climbed over
the fence, and went on in the same voice:
"Jake, take that horse to the stable an' wipe him dry. Tell your mother
I'm coming right up to eat."
Without another word he moved off homewards. His intervention had put an
end to the difficulty. Even the lieutenant understood that there was
nothing more to be done for the moment. Five minutes later the troopers
recrossed the bridge. Morris and a few of the older men held a brief
consultation. It was agreed that they should be on the same spot at six
o'clock on the morrow, and some of the younger spirits volunteered to
act as scouts in the direction of Wichita and keep the others informed
of what took place in that quarter.
When Bancroft reached the house with Morris--neither Stevens nor any of
the others felt inclined to trespass on the Elder's hospitality without
an express invitation--he found dinner waiting. Loo had not returned;
had, indeed, arranged, as Morris informed them, to spend the day with
his wife; but Jake was present and irrepressible; he wanted to tell all
he had done to secure the victory. But he had scarcely commenced when
his father shut him up by bidding him eat, for he'd have to go right
back to school.
There was no feeling of triumph in the Elder. He scarcely spoke, and
when Morris described the protective measures that had been adopted, he
merely nodded. In fact, one would have inferred from his manner that he
had had nothing whatever to do with the contest, and took no interest in
it. The only thing that appeared to trouble him was Loo's absence and
the fear lest she should have been "fussed;" but when Morris declared
that neither his wife nor Loo knew what was going on, and Bancroft
announced his intention of driving over to fetch her, he seemed to be
satisfied.
"Jack, I reckon, has had enough," he said to his boarder. "You'd better
take the white mare; she's quiet."
On their way home in the buggy, Bancroft told Loo how her father had
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