Part 64 (1/2)

”Now it's a funny thing about that. Have yu' ever noticed a joke about fathers-in-law? There's just as many fathers--as mothers-in-law; but which side are your jokes?”

Molly was not vanquished. ”That's because the men write the comic papers,” said she.

”Hear that, Monte? The men write 'em. Well, if the ladies wrote a comic paper, I expect that might be gentle.”

She gave up this battle in mirth; and he resumed:-- ”But don't you really reckon it's uncommon to meet a father-in-law flouncin' around the house? As for gentle--Once I had to sleep in a room next a ladies'

temperance meetin'. Oh, heavens! Well, I couldn't change my room, and the hotel man, he apologized to me next mawnin'. Said it didn't surprise him the husbands drank some.”

Here the Virginian broke down over his own fantastic inventions, and gave a joyous chuckle in company with his sweetheart. ”Yes, there's a big heap o' difference between men and women,” he said. ”Take that fello' and myself, now.”

”Trampas?” said Molly, quickly serious. She looked along the road ahead, and discerned the figure of Trampas still visible on its way to town.

The Virginian did not wish her to be serious--more than could be helped.

”Why, yes,” he replied, with a waving gesture at Trampas. ”Take him and me. He don't think much o' me! How could he? And I expect he'll never.

But yu' saw just now how it was between us. We were not a bit like a temperance meetin'.”

She could not help laughing at the twist he gave to his voice. And she felt happiness warming her; for in the Virginian's tone about Trampas was something now that no longer excluded her. Thus he began his gradual recital, in a cadence always easy, and more and more musical with the native accent of the South. With the light turn he gave it, its pure ugliness melted into charm.

”No, he don't think anything of me. Once a man in the John Day Valley didn't think much, and by Canada de Oro I met another. It will always be so here and there, but Trampas beats 'em all. For the others have always expressed themselves--got shut of their poor opinion in the open air.”

”Yu' see, I had to explain myself to Trampas a right smart while ago, long before ever I laid my eyes on yu'. It was just nothing at all. A little matter of cyards in the days when I was apt to spend my money and my holidays pretty headlong. My gracious, what nonsensical times I have had! But I was apt to win at cyards, 'specially poker. And Trampas, he met me one night, and I expect he must have thought I looked kind o'

young. So he hated losin' his money to such a young-lookin' man, and he took his way of sayin' as much. I had to explain myself to him plainly, so that he learned right away my age had got its growth.

”Well, I expect he hated that worse, having to receive my explanation with folks lookin' on at us publicly that-a-way, and him without further ideas occurrin' to him at the moment. That's what started his poor opinion of me, not havin' ideas at the moment. And so the boys resumed their cyards.

”I'd most forgot about it. But Trampas's mem'ry is one of his strong points. Next thing--oh, it's a good while later--he gets to losin' flesh because Judge Henry gave me charge of him and some other punchers taking cattle--”

”That's not next,” interrupted the girl.

”Not? Why--”

”Don't you remember?” she said, timid, yet eager. ”Don't you?”

”Blamed if I do!”

”The first time we met?”

”Yes; my mem'ry keeps that--like I keep this.” And he brought from his pocket her own handkerchief, the token he had picked up at a river's brink when he had carried her from an overturned stage.

”We did not exactly meet, then,” she said. ”It was at that dance. I hadn't seen you yet; but Trampas was saying something horrid about me, and you said--you said, 'Rise on your legs, you pole cat, and tell them you're a liar.' When I heard that, I think--I think it finished me.” And crimson suffused Molly's countenance.

”I'd forgot,” the Virginian murmured. Then sharply, ”How did you hear it?”

”Mrs. Taylor--”

”Oh! Well, a man would never have told a woman that.”

Molly laughed triumphantly. ”Then who told Mrs. Taylor?”