She hurried to the road along which Jake would have to come with the
news of the fight. When she reached the top of the bluff whence the road
fell rapidly to the creek, no one was in sight. She sat down and gave
herself up to joyous anticipations.
"What would George say to her news? Where should they be married?"----a
myriad questions agitated her. But a glance down the slope from time to
time checked her pleasure. At last she saw her brother running towards
her. He had taken off his boots and stockings; they were slung round his
neck, and his bare feet pattered along in the thick, white dust of the
prairie track. His haste made his sister's heart beat in gasps of fear.
Down the hill she sped, and met him on the bridge.
"Wall?" she asked quietly, but the colour had left her cheeks, and Jake
was not to be deceived so easily.
"Wall what?" he answered defiantly, trying to get breath. "I hain't said
nothin'."
"Oh, you mean boy!" she cried indignantly. "I'll never help you again
when father wants to whip you--never! Tell me this minute what happened.
Is _he_ hurt?"
"Is who hurt?" asked her brother, glorying in superiority of knowledge,
and the power to tease with impunity.
"Tell me right off," she said, taking him by the collar in her
exasperation, "or--"
"I'll tell you nothin' till you leave go of me," was the sullen reply.
But then the overmastering impulse ran away with him, and he broke out:
"Oh, Loo! I jest seed everythin'. 'Twar a high old fight! They wuz all
there, Seth Stevens, Richards, Monkey Bill--all of 'em, when
schoolmaster rode up. He was still--looked like he wanted to hear a
class recite. He hitched up Jack and come to 'em, liftin' his hat.
Oh, 'twas O.K., you bet! Then they took off their clo's. Seth Stevens
jerked hisn loose on the ground, but schoolmaster stood by himself, and
folded hisn up like ma makes me fold mine at night. Then they comed
together and Seth Stevens he jest drew off and tried to land him one,
but schoolmaster sorter moved aside and took him on the nose, an' Seth
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