Jim’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like this.
“Jim,” added Claude swiftly, “don’t do me 74 an injustice. I’d be damned proud to have you as a brother-in-law. But don’t court disappointment and pain by speaking to her——”
“Who said I was going to speak?”
“I can see it—in your eyes.”
Jim shrugged his shoulders.
“You’re right. I am,” he jerked out.
Claude drew in his breath with a little hiss. Jim suddenly swung round on him.
“See here, I’m not quitting on this. I’ve never been a quitter and I’ve clinched bigger propositions than this. What’s wrong with me, eh? I guess I’ve bin taking a lot lying down of late. Last night I see it all—cut and dried. There ain’t nothin’ in this blood business—nothin’. If your family sprang from William the Conqueror I guess mine was there at the time. If there’s anything in that Adam and Eve yarn, I reckon they were my grandparents as well as yours. What’s wrong with me? Am I blind, lame, consumptive? See here, kid, I know what it is to work. I know what it is to starve. I’ve never stolen or lied or murdered.... There’s never been a gal on this earth that had cut any ice with me. I’ve bin too busy working to go galivanting 75 after skirts. But this ’ere’s different. I—I—wal, I guess I love her some. Oh, I know she’s proud and cold and thinks there ain’t nothin’ in trousers good enough for her. But I’m obstinate and I’m free with my tongue—at times. So we both got our faults. They kinder equalize. Anyway, I love her, and that’s good enough excuse for anyone who cares a damn about himself. And there ain’t no law on this earth, sir, that says a man can’t put a straight proposition to a gal he loves—no, by God!”
There was something different about him. He had changed in one day. The old nervousness had gone. He was dogged, determined. There was nothing to be done with him. He meant to speak to Angela, though she took the compliment as a dire insult. Claude, fascinated by the ring of his bass voice and the flash of fire from his amazing eyes, wondered if, after all, he had not cause for courage—and optimism.
But something strange happened the following morning. Angela, with a smile, asked Jim to go riding with her. It was the first time she had expressed the slightest desire for his company, and it sent thrills of delight running down his 76 spine. They took the best two of the borrowed horses, and under a perfect July sky rode out into the moors.