But Tucker's egotism whispered that this affection was only a recognition of his own superiority, and felt flattered.

He was beginning to believe that he was really the injured party.
"What I HAVE and what I have HAD is yours, Spence," returned Patterson, with a sad and simple directness that made any further discussion a gratuitous insult.

"I only wanted to know what you reckoned to do here." "I want to get over across the Coast Range to Monterey," said Tucker.
"Once there, one of those coasting schooners will bring me down to Acapulco, where the ship will put in." Patterson remained silent for a moment.

"There's a mustang in the corral you can take--leastways, I shan't know that it's gone--until to-morrow afternoon.

In an hour from now," he added, looking from the window, "these clouds will settle down to business.