spectacle of her father doing his visiting with a shotgun may
have touched her closely and somewhat prejudiced her against the
neighboring masculinity. The thought that cattle, horses, and "quarter
section" would one day be hers did not disturb her calm. As for Mr.
Clay, he accepted her as housewifely, though somewhat "interfering,"
and, being one of "his own womankind," therefore not without some
degree of merit.
"Wot's this yer I'm hearin' of your doin's over at Red Pete's?
Honey-foglin' with a horse-thief, eh?" said Mr. Clay two days later at
breakfast.
"I reckon you heard about the straight thing, then," said Salomy Jane
unconcernedly, without looking round.
"What do you kalkilate Rube will say to it? What are you goin' to tell
_him_?" said Mr. Clay sarcastically.
"Rube," or Reuben Waters, was a swain supposed to be favored
particularly by Mr. Clay. Salomy Jane looked up.
"I'll tell him that when _he's_ on his way to be hung, I'll kiss
him,--not till then," said the young lady brightly.
This delightful witticism suited the paternal humor, and Mr. Clay
smiled; but, nevertheless, he frowned a moment afterwards.
"But this yer hoss-thief got away arter all, and that's a hoss of a
different color," he said grimly.
Salomy Jane put down her knife and fork. This was certainly a new and
different phase of the situation. She had never thought of it before,
and, strangely enough, for the first time she became interested in the
man. "Got away?" she repeated. "Did they let him off?"
"Not much," said her father briefly. "Slipped his cords, and going
down the grade pulled up short, just like a _vaquero_ agin a
lassoed bull, almost draggin' the man leadin' him off his hoss, and
then skyuted up the grade. For that matter, on that hoss o' Judge
Boompointer's he mout have dragged the whole posse of 'em down on
their knees ef he liked! Sarved 'em right, too. Instead of stringin'
him up afore the door, or shootin' him on sight, they must allow to
take him down afore the hull committee 'for an example.' 'Example' be
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