“Has—now—Hunter Mangan ever ast ye to marry ’im?”
“You embarrass me. But I can’t tell a lie. He has not.”
“He likes ye plenty, Nita.”
“I hope he does. I certainly like him.”
“But ye said ye wasn’t goin’ to.”
“I say many things. I’m older now than when I made that remark. And even then I was not displeased with him; I was put out at the thought of a railroad crossing Squawtooth.”
“Don’t care now, do ye, Nita?”
“Not so much, pa. I begin to realize that other people in the world must live, and that railroads are necessary to their prosperity and happiness. Everybody can’t be fortunate enough to live at dear old Squawtooth.”
“Uh-huh. What if Hunt Mangan was to ask ye to marry ’im, Manzanita?—if ye don’t resent my impertinence.”
“I’d refuse, of course.”