"Sho! You're just sayin' that. You want to live in town. Well, so do I. And as soon as I get things settled a little I'm goin' to take what I've got and the two thousand from your Uncle George and open up a livery stable in town."
Susan's strange eyes turned upon him. "In Sutherland?" she asked breathlessly.
"Right in Sutherland," replied he complacently. "I think I'll buy Jake Antle's place in Jefferson Street."
Susan was blanched and trembling. "Oh, no," she cried. "You mustn't do that!"
Jeb laughed. "You see if I don't. And we'll live in style, and you can keep a gal and stay dolled up all the time. Oh, I know how to treat you."
"I want to stay in the country," cried Susan. "I hate Sutherland."
"Now, don't you be afraid," soothed Jeb. "When people see you've got a husband and money they'll not be down on you no more. They'll forget all about your maw—and they won't know nothin' about the other thing. You treat me right and I'll treat you right. I'm not one to rake up the past. There ain't arry bit of meanness about me!"
"But you'll let me stay here in the country?" pleaded Susan. Her imagination was torturing her with pictures of herself in Sutherland and the people craning and whispering and mocking.
"You go where I go," replied Jeb. "A woman's place is with her man. And I'll knock anybody down that looks cockeyed at you."
"Oh!" murmured Susan, sinking back against the support.