At length he shoved back his chair with such violence that the table trembled.
"Well," he rumbled, "I guess this lets me out.

S'long." And he strode heavily from the room; a moment later his cursing came back to them as he rode into the night.
"Takes it kind of hard, don't he ?" said the father.
And the mother murmured: "Poor Ralph!" "So you went an' done it ?" said the mannish girl to her sister.
"What of it ?" snapped the other.
"He's too good for you, that's what of it." "Girls!" exclaimed the mother anxiously.

"Remember we got a guest!" "Oh," said she of the strong brown arms, "I guess we can't tell him nothin'; I guess he had eyes to be seein' what's happened." She turned calmly to Steve.
"Lizzie turned down Ralph Boardman--poor feller!" "Sue!" cried the other girl.
"Well, after you done it, are you ashamed to have it talked about?
You make me sore, I'll tell a man!" "That's enough, Sue," growled the father.
"What's enough ?" "We ain't goin' to have no more show about this.

I've had my supper spoiled by it already." "I say it's a rotten shame," broke out Sue, and she repeated, "Ralph's too good for her.

All because of a city dude--a tenderfoot!" In the extremity of her scorn her voice drawled in a harsh murmur.
"Then take him yourself, if you can get him!" cried Lizzie.