She sat down abruptly, leaned back, clasped one knee with her hands and smiled for the first time. It was a beautiful smile, in great contrast to her earlier sullen defiance.
"I like you," she said simply, and Hilton's face grew hot.
"If you like me, my night's ride hasn't gone to waste," he replied, and laughed.
She looked him over again, calculatingly, as closely as she had at first, but with a different interest. Her smile faded but the lips remained slightly parted, showing teeth of calcium whiteness.
"You're the first man that's ever talked that-a way to me. I've been travelin' ever since I can remember, first one place, then another. I've always had to look out for men.... I've been able to, too, since I got big enough to be bothered.
"This is the first time any man's talked like you're talkin' to me."
"Bless you," he said very gently, "that's been tough luck. A girl like you are doesn't deserve that."
"Don't she? Well, it ain't what you deserve that counts, it's what you get."
"What's your name?"
"Bobby.... Bobby Cole."