"She has 'em," she muttered to herself. "Friends ... an' respect ... an' everything I want....
"I wonder what makes me hate folks so...."
CHAPTER VII
THE CATAMOUNT
Three weeks after her arrival Jane made her first trip to town and Beck drove the pair of strong bays which swirled their buckboard over the road at a spanking trot.
Events had arisen to prevent their being together in the days immediately following the frank discussion of their attitudes toward one another and Jane thought that she detected a feeling of curiosity in him, as though he wondered just how she would go about forcing him to like her. Shrewdly, she avoided personalities and talked much of the ranch.
When they broke over the divide and began the long drop into town, he said:
"Since you asked advice from me, I keep thinkin' up more, ma'am."
"That's nice. I need it. What now?"