“I’ve jest plumb doted on that gal since she was knee-high to a Kansas hopper-grass,” the big puncher drawled. “An’ she knows it well enough.”
“Maybe she knows it too well?” suggested Ruth, wisely.
“Gosh!” groaned Ike. “I gotter keep her reminded I’m on the job—say, ain’t I? Now, them candies you bought for me an’ give to her—what do you s’pose she did with ’em?”
“She ate them if she had right good sense,” replied Ruth, with a smile. “They were nice candies.”
“I rid over to Lem’s the next night,” said Ike, solemnly, “an’ that leetle pink-haired skeezicks opened up that box o’ sweetmeats on the counter an’ had all them lop-eared jack-rabbits that sits around her pa’s store o’ nights he’pin’ themselves out o’ my gift-box. Talk erbout castin’ pearls before swine!” continued Bashful Ike, in deep disgust, “that was suah flingin’ jewels to the hawgs, all right. Them ’ombres from the Two-Ten outfit, an’ from over Redeye way, was stuffin’ down them bonbons like they was ten-cent gumdrops. An’ Sally never ate a-one.”
“She did that just to tease you,” said Ruth, sagely.
“Huh!” grunted Ike. “I never laid out to hurt her feelin’s none. Dunno why she should give me the quirt. Why, I’ve been hangin’ about her an’ tryin’ to show her how much I think of her for years! She must know I wanter marry her. An’ I got a good bank account an’ five hundred head o’ steers ter begin housekeepin’ on.”
“Does Sally know all that?” asked Ruth, slyly.
“Great Peter!” ejaculated Ike. “She’d oughter. Ev’rybody else in the county does.”
“But did you ever ask Sally right out to marry you?” asked the Eastern girl.