He rode back
at once to the cabin. Instead of taxing the woman with the deed--for he
shrewdly suspected the man knew nothing of it--he reproached her with
condemning him unheard.
"I'm the best friend you people have," said he. "It isn't my fault that
you are in trouble with the regulations. The Government must straighten
these matters out. Don't think for a minute that the work will stop just
because somebody gets away with me. They'll send somebody else. And the
chances are, in that case, they'll send somebody who is instructed to
stick close to the letter of the law: and who will turn you out mighty
sudden. I'm trying to do the best I can for you people."
This family ended by giving him its full confidence in the matter. Bob
was able to save the place for them.
Gradually his refusal to take offence, his refusal to debate any matter
save on the impersonal grounds of the Government servant acting solely
for his masters, coupled with his willingness to take things into
consideration, and his desire to be absolutely fair, won for Bob a
reluctant confidence. At the north end men's minds were as yet too
inflamed.
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