An'
then ... well, then, I guess I'd jest naturally dig a hole an' crawl
in it so deep nothin' but my gun stuck out!"
"What did he say?" she asked breathlessly.
"That's jest it, Miss. He didn't say much!"
CHAPTER XI
THE BEDLOE BOYS
All thoughts of denouncing Buck Thornton before these people fled before
the girl had followed the rancher's wife into the cabin. They spoke of
him only in tones warm with friendship and with something more than mere
friendship, an admiration that was tinged with respect. They had known
him since first he had come into this country, and although that had
been only a little more than a year ago, they had grown to know him as
men and women in these far-out places come to know each other, swiftly,
intimately.
He was a favourite topic of conversation and they talked of him
naturally, readily, and Mrs. Smith, fluently. She recounted, not
guessing how eagerly the girl was listening to every word, many an
episode which in the aggregate had given him the reputation he bore
throughout these wild miles of cattle land, the reputation of a man who
was hard, hard as rock "on the outside," as she put it, hard inside,
too, when they drove him to it, but naturally as soft-hearted as a baby.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117