That surely finished Gloriana and all but did the
same for Molly. She was as noble, in her extremity, as she
wasbeautiful.
Croak got sorer at allthe fuss Jed was makin over
nothin.
The cool fragrance of the night and the woods
accompanied him. And out thereunder the pines lie two of the Diamond in their
graves! Tend to her, Molly, said Stone, briefly, and he turned to look afterthe
horses. Hours of uneasiness on Jims part followed, and apparently casualstrolling
the porch on Curlys.
She smiled,and Jed thought he would treasure that
smile. Reckon shes got appendicitis, drawled Stone, who allowed no word toget by him
unheard.
My necks stiff fromturnin round to watch Miss
Traft.
An far as thet isconcerned the Lord was born in a
stall, so Ive heerd.
His plan precluded aninsufficiency of food on this
three-day ride down to Yellow Jacket.
Wal, itd be a darn sight better if you was. Wal, I
reckon you wont see him again very soon, ifever. Lonestar hobbles about making you
grind your teeth. Next sheturned to remove the saddle from her horse. Stone
regardedthe Eastern girl with poignant emotion he gladly hid.
Though they wanted to linger, Stone ordered them
on.
Youre trying to to frighten me, she faltered,
weakening.
Suddenly Jed Stone turned away, gripped by a
whirlwind of passion. Molly Dunn, Im a hurted cowpuncher, called Bud from his bed.
And Mollys reply: Aw, this heahs easy, Glory. And the tone of hervoice, the look of
her, about finished Gloriana, who fell in a heap. Jim, this heahs what I seen bobbin
above the rim, he said, in amazedconjecture.
Let even the effete Easterner facethe facts of
primal life and the balance was struck.
Theres a ranchdown heah where one of you can go an
send word to the cowboys.
I wontlive long, so itll not matter much. Say, if
this heahs all the grub you fetched well eat it tonight, saidMolly. Jed Stone, Ill
see you in hell before Id do it, cried Molly,passionately. And whilehe did this he
winked and grinned at Molly, who stood there aghast.
An I reckon one of them is some kin to human.
Malloy robbed Uncle, took our bags, an threw us onhorses. And when Molly
camecarrying a dipper of water, Glorianas great tragic eyes lit up. He halted before
the girls noticed it and dismounted near therim.
He could not remove it from the girls tight
clutch.
If she did not actually squeezehim, then he was
dreaming. You can sleep together, an Ill bea gentleman an go outdoors.