The third day, when he was touching up the shoulders of one of the combatants, a puff of wind blew open the door which led to the parlor. He did not notice it and kept steadily at work, painting his “brand” into a corner. Beneath the stump and its splinter he lettered his name--a thing he had never done before.
Chip jumped half out of his chair, giving his lame ankle a jolt which made him grind his teeth.
“It kind of looks that way, don't it?” Chip was plainly disconcerted, and his ankle hurt.
“H--m-m.” The Old Man eyed it sharply a minute. “It's a wonder you wouldn't paint in a howl or two, while you're about it. I suppose that's a mate to--doggone you, Chip, why didn't yuh tell us you painted that other one?”
“I didn't,” said Chip, getting red and uncomfortable, “except the cow and--”
“Yes, except the part that makes the picture worth the paint it's done with!” snorted the Old Man. “I must say I never thought that uh Dell!”
“Thought what?” flared Chip, hotly, forgetting everything but that the Little Doctor was being censured. “It was her picture, she started it and intended to finish it. I painted on it one day when she was gone, and she didn't know it. I told her not to tell anyone I had anything to do with it. It wasn't her fault.”
“Huh!” grunted the Old Man, as if he had his own opinion on that matter. “Well, it's a rattling good picture--but this one's better. Poor ole Diamond Bar--she couldn't come through with it, after all. She put up a good fight, out there alone, but she had t' go under--her an' her calf.” He stood quiet a minute, gazing and gazing. “Doggone them measly wolves! Why in thunder can't a feller pump lead into 'em like he wants t'?”
Chip's heart glowed within him. His technique was faulty, his colors daring, perhaps--but his triumph was for that the greater. If men could FEEL his pictures--and they did! That was the joy of it--they did!
“Darn them snarlin' brutes, anyway! I thought it was doggone queer if Dell could dab away all her life at nice, common things that you only think is purty, an' then blossom out, all of a sudden, with one like that other was--that yuh felt all up an' down yer back. The little cheat, she'd no business t' take the glory uh that'n like she done. I'll give her thunder when she gits back.”
