“Then it is all off with the one-eyed widow.”
“Yes, and them four thousand sheep, and that range all under fence, dang my melts!”
“What are you going to do about Rabbit?”
“It ain’t what am I goin’ to do about her, John, but what she’s goin’ to do about me. She’ll never leave me out of her sight a minute as long as I live. I reckon I’ll have to stay right here and run sheep for Tim, and that widow-lady wonderin’ why I don’t show up!”
“You might do worse, Dad.”
“Yes, I reckon I might. Rabbit she’s as good as any man on the range handlin’ sheep, she can draw a man’s pay wherever she goes. I guess I could put her to work, and that’d help some.”
Dad brightened a bit at that prospect, and drew his breath with a new hope. Even with the widow gone from his calculations, the future didn’t promise all loss.
“But I bet you I’ll shoot them two dogs the first time I can draw a bead on ’em!” Dad declared.
“Maybe if you’ll treat Rabbit the right way she’ll sell them. Call her over, Dad; I’d like to get acquainted with her.”