wyoming(怀俄明)-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Gracious； what pretty dark velvety lashes she had！
She was rising already； and as she paid for the ice cream that innocent
gaze smote him again with the brightest of Irish eyes conceivable。 It
lingered for just a ponderable sunlit moment or him。 She had smiled once
more。
After a decent interval Mac pursued his petit charmer to the hotel。 She
was seated on the porch reading a magazine； and was absorbedly
unconscious of him when he passed。 For a few awkward moments he hung
around the office； then returned to the porch and took the chair most
distant from her。 He had sat there a long ten minutes before she let her
hands and the magazine fall into her lap and demurely gave him his
chance。
〃Can you tell me how far it is to the Lazy D ranch？〃
〃Seventy…two miles as the crow flies； ma'am。〃
〃Thank you。〃
The conversation threatened to die before it was well born。
Desperately McWilliams tried to think of something to say to keep it alive
72
… Page 73…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
without being too bold。
〃If y'u were thinking of traveling out that way I could give y'u a lift。 I
just came in to get another ladyan old lady that has just come to this
country。〃
〃Thank you； but I'm expecting a conveyance to meet me here。 You
didn't happen to pass one on the way； I suppose？〃
〃No； I didn't。 What ranch were y'u going to； ma'am？
〃Miss Messiter'sthe Lazy D。〃
A suspicion began to peretrate the foreman's brain。 〃Y'u ain't Miss
Darling？〃
〃What makes you so sure I'm not？〃 she asked； tilting her dimpled chin
toward him aggressively。
〃Y'u're too young；〃 he protested； helplessly。
〃I'm no younger than you are；〃 came her quick； indignant retort。
Thus boldly accused of his youth； the foreman blushed。 〃I didn't mean
that。 Miss Messiter said she was an old lady〃
〃You needn't tell fibs about it。 She couldn't have said anything of the
kind。 Who are you； anyhow？〃 the girl demanded； with spirit。
〃I'm the foreman of the Lazy D； come to get Miss Darling。 My name is
McWilliamsJim McWilliams。〃
〃I don't need your first name； Mr。 McWilliams；〃 she assured him；
sweetly。 〃And will you please tell me why you have kept me waiting here
more than thirty hours？〃
〃Miss Messiter didn't get your letter in time。 Y'u see； we don't get mail
every day at the Lazy D；〃 he explained； the while he hopefully wondered
just when she was going to need his last name。
〃I don't see why you don't go after your mail every day at least；
especially when Miss Messiter was expecting me。 To leave me waiting
here thirty hoursI'll not stand it。 When does the next train leave for
Detroit？〃 she asked； imperiously。
The situation seemed to call for diplomacy； and Jim McWilliams
moved to a nearer chair。 〃I'm right sorry it happened； ma'am； and I'll bet
Miss Messiter is； too。 Y'u see； we been awful busy one way and 'nother；
and I plumb neglected to send one of the boys to the post…office。〃
73
… Page 74…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃Why didn't one of them walk over after supper？〃 she demanded；
geverely。
He curbed the smile that was twitching at his facial muscles。
〃Well； o' course it ain't so far；only forty…three milesstill〃
〃Forty…three miles to the post…office？〃
〃Yes； ma'am； only forty…three。 If you'll excuse me this time〃
〃Is it really forty…three？〃
He saw that her sudden smile had brought out the dimples in the oval
face and that her petulance had been swept away by his astounding
information。
〃Forty…three； sure as shootin'； except twict a week when it comes to
Slauson's； and that's only twenty miles；〃 he assured her。 〃Used to be
seventy…two； but the Government got busy with its rural free delivery； and
now we get it right at our doors。〃
〃You must have big doors；〃 she laughed。
〃All out o' doors；〃 he punned。 〃Y'u see； our house is under our hat； and
like as not that's twenty miles from the ranchhouse when night falls。〃
〃Dear me！〃 She swept his graceful figure sarcastically。 〃And； of course；
twenty miles from a brush； too。〃
He laughed with deep delight at her thrust； for the warm youth in him
did not ask for pointed wit on the part of a young woman so attractive and
with a manner so delightfully provoking。
〃I expaict I have gathered up some scenery on the journey。 I'll go brush
it off and get ready for supper。 I'd admire to sit beside y'u and pass the
butter and the hash if y'u don't object。 Y'u see； I don't often meet up with
ladies； and I'd ought to improve my table manners when I get a chanct
with one so much older than I am and o' course so much more
experienced。〃
〃I see you don't intend to pass any honey with the hash；〃 she flashed；
with a glimpse of the pearls。
〃DIDN'T y'u say y'u was older than me？ I believe I've plumb forgot
how old y'u said y'u was； Miss Darling。〃
〃Your memory's such a sieve it wouldn't be worth while telling you。
After you've been to school a while longer maybe I'll try you again。〃
74
… Page 75…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃Some ladies like 'em young；〃 he suggested； amiably。
〃But full grown；〃 she amended。
〃Do y'u judge by my looks or my ways？〃 he inquired； anxiously。
〃By both。〃
〃That's right strange；〃 he mused aloud。 〃For judging by some of your
ways you're the spinster Miss Messiter was telling me about； but judging
by your looks y'u're only the prettiest and sassiest twenty…year…old in
Wyoming。〃
And with this shot he fled； to see what transformation he could effect
with the aid of a whiskbroom； a tin pan of alkali water and a roller towel。
When she met him at the supper table her first question was； 〃Did
Miss Messiter say I was an old maid？〃
〃Sho！ I wouldn't let that trouble me if I was y'u。 A woman ain't any
older than she looks。 Your age don't show to speak of。〃
〃But did she？〃
〃I reckon she laid a trap for me and I shoved my paw in。 She wanted to
give me a pleasant surprise。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃Don't y'u grow anxious about being an old maid。 There ain't any in
Wyoming to speak of。 If y'u like I'll tell the boys you're worried and some
of them will be Johnnie…on…the…Spot。 They're awful gallant； cowpunchers
are。〃
〃Some of them may be；〃 she differed。 〃If you want to know I'm just
twenty…one。〃
He sawed industriously at his steak。 〃Y'u don't say！ Just old enough to
votelike this steer was before they massacreed him。〃
She gave him one look； and thereafter punished him with silence。
They left Gimlet Butte early next morning and reached the Lazy D
shortly after noon on the succeeding day。 McWilliams understood
perfectly that strenuous competition would inevitably ensue as soon as the
Lazy D beheld the attraction he had brought into their midst。 Nor did he
need a phrenologist to tell him that Nora was a born flirt and that her shy
slant glances were meant to penetrate tough hides to tender hearts。 But this
did not discourage him； and he set about making his individual impression
75
… Page 76…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
while he had her all to himself。 He wasn't at all sure how deep this went；
but he had the satisfaction of hearing his first name； the one she had told
him she had no need of； fall tentatively from her pretty lips before the
other boys caught a glimpse of her。
Shortly after his arrival at the ranch Mac went to make his report to his
mistress of some business matters connected with the trip。
〃I see you got back safely with the old lady；〃 she laughed when she
caught sight of him。
His look reproached her。 〃Y'u said a spinster。〃
〃But it was you that insisted on the rheumatism。 By the way； did you
ask her about it？〃
〃We didn't get that far；〃 he parried。
〃Oh！ How far did you get？〃 She perched herself on the porch railing
and mocked him with her friendly eyes。 Her heart was light within her and
she was ready for anything in the way of fun； for the doctor had just
pronounced her patient out of danger if he took proper care of himself。
〃About as fur as I got with y'u； ma'am；〃 he audaciously retorted。
〃We might disagree as to how far that is；〃 she flung back gayly with
heightened color。
〃No； ma'am； I don't think we would。〃
〃But； gracious！ You're not a Mormon。 You don't want us both； do
you？〃 she demanded； her eyes sparkling with the exhilaration of the tilt。
〃Could I get either one of y'u； do y'u reckon？ That's what's worrying
me。〃
〃I see； and so you intend to keep us both on the string。〃
His joyous laughter echoed hers。 〃I expaict y'u would call that
presumption or some other dictionary word； wouldn't y'u？〃
〃In anybody else perhaps； but surely not in Mr。 McWilliams。〃
〃I'm awful glad to be trotting in a class by myself。〃
〃And you'll let us know when you have made your mind up which of
us it is to be？〃
〃Well； mine ain't the only mind that has to be made up；〃 he drawled。
She took this up gleefully。 〃I can't answer for Nora； but I'll jump at the
chance if you decide to give it to me。〃
76
… Page 77…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
He laughed delightedly into the hat he was momentarily expecting to
put on。 〃I'll mill it over a spell and let y'u know； ma'am。〃
〃Yes； think it over from all points of view。 Of course she is prettier； but
then I'm not afflicted with rheumatism and probably wouldn't flirt as much
afterward。 I have a good temper； too； as a rule； but then so has Nora。〃
〃Oh； she's prettier； is she？〃 With boyish audacity he grinned at her。
〃What do you think？〃
He shook
