“What’s his business here?”
“I guess he hain’t got none, he seems to be out here for pleasure like his brother.”
“Pleasure!” growled Maverick, with an oath, “there’s too many of ’em, damn ’em, out here for pleasure; I’d give some of ’em some pleasure that they ain’t a lookin’ for, if I had a chance.”
His wife made no response.
“What’s that girl Lyle tricked out in such finery for?” he next asked.
“They’re clothes that Miss Gladden give her,” Mrs. Maverick replied, “and it saves us jest so much, so you needn’t growl; besides she looks nice.”
“Looks nice!” said Maverick, contemptuously, “you’re always bound to stick up for her! Look here, old woman,” he added, in a lower tone, but which Lyle could hear, “have you been tellin’ that girl anything? She don’t own me for her daddy lately, I notice; now, if you’ve been puttin’ her or anybody else onto anything of the kind, I can tell you you’ll be damned sorry for it before you git through with me.”
“I hain’t said a word, it’s jest a notion she’s took, I dun’no why. I hain’t said nothin’ nor I ain’t a goin’ to, as long as you behave yourself, Jim Maverick, but the proofs is all ready in case you don’t treat me and her jest as you’d orter.”
A terrible oath burst from Maverick’s lips, but the entrance of the two boys and Minty, prevented any further conversation on this subject; and Lyle, seated in the little porch whither she had retreated from the dining-room, reflected on what she had just heard, its meaning seeming very clear to her in the light of what Miss Gladden had told her the night before.
There were proofs then in existence, probably in that very house, as to her identity. Her friends were correct in their surmises: she had been stolen, and the villain who had committed the deed, even now trembled with apprehension lest his villainy should become known. Those proofs she must have, and it would be worse than useless to demand them of either Maverick or his wife. She must search for them. This she resolved to do, day by day, as opportunity afforded, until there should be no nook or corner which she had not thoroughly explored.