What had she gone on like that about her father for, if she couldn't stand for any one siding in with her?
Maybe he had put his sympathy a little too strong, but that is the way men handle each other.

She ought to know he wasn't sorry she was there.

Why, of _course_ she knew that! The girl wasn't a fool, and she must know a fellow would be plumb tickled to have her around every day.

Well, anyway, he wasn't going to begin by letting her lead him around by the nose, and he wasn't going to crumple down on his knees and tell her to please walk all over him.
"Well, anyway," he summed up at bedtime with a somewhat doubtful satisfaction, "I guess she's kinda got over the notion that I'm so blame _comfortable_--like I was an old grandpa-setting-in-the-corner.
She's _got_ to get over it, by thunder! I ain't got to that point yet; hell, no! I should say I hadn't!" It is a fact that when he rode away just after sunrise next morning (he would have given much if duty and his pride had permitted him to linger a while) no one could have accused him of being in any degree a comfortable young man.

For his last sight of Miss Bridger had been the flutter of her when she disappeared through the stable door..