“That doesn’t sound very encouraging.”

She said, “I like you.”

“Thanks.”

“I liked you from the first time I saw you.”

“Leading up to something?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Go ahead then.”

She said, “The orthodox technique for a nice young thing is to be very demure and, if you take an interest in her, lead you along very, very gently. I don’t do things that way. When I like someone, I go for them in a big way. When I don’t like ’em, I just don’t like ’em, and that’s all there is to it.”

I nodded.

“That first night out on the desert,” she said, “was about the happiest night I ever spent in my life. The second night was almost as good.”