It was not alone his
glasses that lent him a scholarly appearance; he had the stooped
shoulders, the thoughtful intensity of gaze, the gentle,
hesitating backwardness of a book-raised man. There were tutors
at Yale quite as colorless, characterless and indefinite, and
immensely more forceful. In place of the revolver at his belt, it
seemed as if Willie should have carried a geologist's pick, a
butterfly-net, or a magnifying-glass: one was prepared to hear
him speak learnedly of microscopy, or even, perhaps, of
settlement work. As a cowboy he was utterly out of place, and it
was quite impossible to take Stover's words seriously.
Nevertheless, Speed acknowledged the introduction pleasantly,
while the benevolent little man blinked back of his lenses.
Stover addressed himself to Miss Blake.
"I told the boys what you said, miss, and we four has come as a
delegation to find out if it goes."
"Mr. Speed and I were just talking about it when you came," said
Helen. "I'm sure he will consent if you add your entreaties to
mine."
"It would sure be a favor," said the cow-man, at which the others
drew nearer, as if hanging on Speed's answer.
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