Page 71 (1/1)

The Mexican woman sullenly slouched away to her own quarters outside and Ellen was left to the satisfaction of labor Her mind was as busy as her hands As she cleaned and swept and dusted she heard from time to time the voices of men, the clip-clop of shod horses, the bellow of cattle And a considerable time elapsed before she was disturbed

A tall shadow darkened the doorway

"Howdy, little one!" said a lazy, drawling voice "So y'u-all got hoainst the doorpost Like ht eyed His face was lined and hard His long, sandy mustache hid his mouth and drooped with a curl Spurred, booted, belted, packing a heavy gun lon on his hip, he gave Ellen an entirely new iely

"Hello, Daggs!" replied Ellen "Where's my dad?"

"He's playin' cairds with Jackson an' Colter Shore's playin' bad, too, an' it's gone to his haid"

"Gamblin'?" queried Ellen

"Mah child, when'd Kurnel Jorth ever play for fun?" said Daggs, with a lazy laugh "There's a stack of gold on the table Reckon yo' uncle Jackson in it Colter's shore out of luck"

Daggs stepped inside He was graceful and slow His long' spurs clinked He laid a rather coive us a kiss," he said

"Daggs, I'irl," replied Ellen as she slipped out fros put his arm round her, not with violence or rudeness, but with an indolent, affectionate assurance, at once bold and self-contained Ellen, however, had to exert herself to get free of him, and when she had placed the table between thes, y'u keep your paws off me," she said

"A, Ellen, I ain't no bear," he remonstrated "What's the matter, kid?"

"I'm not a kid And there's nothin' the matter Y'u're to keep your hands to yourself, that's all"

He tried to reach her across the table, and his move

"Mah dear, shore you set on my knee just the other day, now, didn't you?"

Ellen felt the blood sting her cheeks

"I was a child," she returned

"Wal, listen to this heah grown-up young woman All in a few days!Doon't be in a teive us a kiss"