About This Book
"Excuse me, miss," said Jim, doffing his sombrero and stepping up to her. "Don't I know you?" She looked up at him with big hazel eyes that had not been long free of tears. "You might, mister, but I sure don't know you," she replied. Jim decided she was more than pretty and not such a child as he had first supposed. She had wavy brown hair, rather rebellious, red lips, and tanned rose-tinted cheeks. "Aren't you Rose Hatt?" he asked. "Sure." Jim leaned easily against the doorpost, smiling down upon her. "Reckon I thought so. Shore that's not many girls as pretty as you in these parts." "Put your hat back on, mister," she replied, tartly. "Standin' bareheaded don't go with such taffy. Besides, I ain't used to it." "All right," returned Jim, good-humoredly. "Bad habit of mine. I'll get sunstruck some day." "Say, you'll ketch worse if my dad comes along," she said, laughing, "Onless you tell me pronto who you are." "Wal, Rose, I might be Samuel Snoozegazzer," drawled Jim. "Only you ain't," she added, with interest, and she looked Jim over from boots to sombrero. She was not bold, but she certainly did not show embarrassment or shyness. Jim gathered that she was used to men. "I'll tell you my name if I drop in on the dance tonight," he said. "Mister, I knowed that was comin'," she returned. "An' I'll bet you never met me before." "Wal, to be honest, I never did." "Reckon it ain't no difference. But I'm afeared I can't promise to dance with you." "Why not?" "Dad says I can go, but Cedar--he's my brother--he says no. An' Cedar is boss of our outfit." "Wal, if your dad's willin', why, go ahaid. He's your father." "Say, mister, I reckon you ain't acquainted with Cedar Hatt," declared the girl, almost with scorn. "You're sure a stranger in these parts." "Yes, I am, sorry to say," replied Jim, thoughtfully. "But what's so bad aboot your brother?" "Cedar's just plain cactus an' side-winder rattlesnake mixed up with hell." "Aw, that's a terrible thing to call a brother," rejoined Jim. "He's only a half brother, same as Henny an' Tobe." "Oh, I see Your dad was married twice an' your ma was the second." The girl's eyes grew somber and her red lips curled with bitterness. "There're some folks out in the brakes who say my dad wasn't never married no second time." "Shore he was, lass. Don't believe gossip of low- -down people. An' don't be so hard on your brother Cedar." "I hate him," she burst out, with passion. "Wal Why do you hate your own kin, little girl? Shore it's not natural," went on Jim, in his slow, persuasive drawl, so full of interest and sympathy. "Reason enough," she retorted. "It was his fault that Clan Dillon took to runnin' after me." "Dillon " flashed Jim, in an amazement too swift and deep to hide. His tone, his look betrayed to the simple passionate girl that she had allowed her tongue too much freedom. "Say, mister, here I am talkin' like an old woman," she cried, almost in affright. "I'm beggin' you to keep mum that slip of my tongue. Cedar would half kill me." "Shore I will," returned Jim, in his former kindly tone. "Rose, you just happened to run into a man you can trust."
