“Yes, I see, as plain as need be,” she said. “I see that you’ve brought care for yourself with that little mischief in her Indian dress; an’ you take all the care on your shoulders as though it was a blessed privilege. And she’s never to know what she owes you. Well, there’s my hand. I’m your friend, Dan Overton. But don’t waste your days with too much care about this new pet you’ve brought home. That’s all I’ve got to say. She’ll never think more of you for it. Girls don’t; they are as selfish as young wolves.”
CHAPTER VI.
MRS HUZZARD’S SUSPICIONS.
Overton sat silent and thoughtful for a little while after Mrs. Huzzard’s words. Then he glanced up and smiled at her.
“I’ve just been getting an idea of the direction your fancies are taking,” he said mockingly, “and they’re very pretty, but I reckon you’ll change them to oblige me; what I’m doing for her is what I’d do for any other child left alone. But as this child doesn’t happen to be a boy, I can’t take it on the trail, and a ranger like me is not fit to look after her, anyway. I think I told you before, I’m not a marrying man, and she, of course, would not look at me if I was; so what does it matter about her thinking of me? Of course, she won’t—it ain’t my intention. Even if she leaves these diggings some day and forgets all about me, just as the young wolves or wildcats do—well, what difference? I’ve helped old bums all over the country, and never heard or wanted to hear of them again, and I’m sure it’s more worth one’s while to help a young girl. Now, you’re a nice little woman, Mrs. Huzzard, and I like you. But if you and I are to keep on being good friends, don’t you speak like that about the child and me. It’s very foolish. If she should hear it, she’d leave us some fine night, and we’d never learn her address.” 84
Then he put on his hat, nodded to her, and walked out of the door as though averse to any further discussion of the subject.
“Bums all over the country!” repeated Mrs. Huzzard, looking after him darkly. “Well, Mr. Dan Overton, it’s well for you that ward of yours, as you call her, wasn’t near enough to hear that speech. And you’re not a marrying man, are you? Well, well, I guess there’s many a man and woman, too, goes through life and don’t know what they might be, just because they never meet with the right person who could help them to learn, and you’re just of that sort. Not a marrying man! Humph! When there’s not a better favored one along this valley—that there ain’t.”
She fidgeted about the dinner preparations, filled with a puzzled impatience as to why Dan Overton should thus decidedly state that he was not one of the men to marry, though all the rest of the world might fall into the popular habit if they chose.