He met her spirit more than half-way,
laughing gaily; and so they reached the end of the story and the end
of the meal at the same time. She cleared away the pans with a few
motions and tossed them clattering into a corner. Neat housekeeping
was not numbered among the many virtues of Jacqueline. "Now," said
Pierre, leaning back against the wall, "we'll hear about that glove."
"Damn the glove!" broke from her.
"Steady, pal!"
"Pierre, are you going to nag me about a little thing like that?"
"Why, Jack, you're red and white in patches. I'm interested."
He sat up.
"I'm more than interested. The story, Jack."
"Well, I suppose I have to tell you. I did a fool thing today. Took a
little gallop down the trail, and on my way back I met a girl sitting
in her saddle with her face in her hands, crying her heart out. Poor
kid! She'd come up in a hunting party and got separated from the rest.
"So I got sympathetic--"
"About the first time on record that you've been sympathetic with
another girl, eh?"
"Shut up, Pierre! And I brought her in here--right into your cabin,
without thinking what I was doing, and gave her a cup of coffee.
Pages:
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278