"I came from the upper water with Brig," answered Bowles, speaking for his part with decorous politeness. "We brought down a bunch of twos."
A smile swept over Dixie Lee's face at this lapse into the vernacular, but she brushed it away as he frowned.
"Bunch of twos, eh?" she repeated. "Say, you're getting to be a regular cowboy now, ain't you?
"Where's Brig?" she inquired, when she saw that her remark displeased him; and once more he answered and fell silent.
"He's a great fellow, old Brig," she went on, settling herself comfortably against the door-sill and indicating that the conversation was on; "you seem to be pretty thick with him!"
"Yes," agreed Bowles, sitting up and laying his book aside; "I like Brigham very much."
"He's a great fellow to tell stories," continued Dixie; "always talking and laughing, too—I never did see such a good-natured man."
"Yes," assented Bowles a little doubtfully; "I guess he's awfully good-natured—but even fat folks have their troubles, you know."
"Why, what's the matter with Brig? Has he run out of chewing tobacco?"
"Well, no," said Bowles; "it's not that. I guess it's that letter you gave him."