Instead:
"It will be mighty disagreeable for Don Andres, trying to keep things
smooth," he said. "And it isn't as if he were stuck for a majordomo.
Manuel has turned against me from pure jealousy. He opened his heart,
one night when we were alone together, and told me that when Carlos
Pacorra went--and Manuel said the patron would not keep him long, for
his insolence--he, Manuel, would be majordomo. He's mad as the deuce,
and I don't blame him; and he's a good man for the place; the vaqueros
like him."
"You say he's quit?"
"Yes. He got pretty nasty, and the don has gone to pay him off."
"Well, what good would it do for you to turn down the offer, then?
Manuel wouldn't get it, would he?"
"No-o, he wouldn't."
"Well, then--oh, thunder! Something ought to be done for that
ingrowing modesty of yours! Dade, if you pass up that place,
I'll--I'll swear you're crazy. I know you like it, here. You worked
hard enough to convert me to that belief!"
A sudden thought made him draw a long breath; he reached out and
caught Dade by both shoulders.
"Say, you can't fool me a little bit! You're backing up because you're
afraid I may be jealous or something. You're afraid you're standing
in my light. Darn you, I've had enough of that blamed unselfishness
of yours, old man." The endearing smile lighted his face then and his
eyes. "You go ahead and take the job, Dade. I don't want it.
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