“I’d like to ask, if it’s allowable—”
“Don’t ask me about her people,” said the other, quickly; “she wouldn’t want me to talk of them. You see, Max, all sorts get caught in whirlpools of one sort or another, when ventures are made in a new country like this, and often it’s a thoroughbred that goes under first, while a lot of scrub stock will pull through an epidemic and never miss a feed. Well, her folks belonged to the list that has gone under—speculating people, you know, who left her stranded when they started ’over the range,’ and she’s sensitive about it—has a sort of pride, too, and doesn’t want to be pitied, I guess. Anyway, I’ve promised she sha’n’t be followed by any reminder of her misfortunes, and I can’t go into details.” 120
“Oh, that’s all right; I’m not curious to know whether her folks had a palace or a cabin to live in. But she has brightness. I like her well enough to give up some useless pastimes that are expensive, and contribute the results to a school fund for her, if you say yes. But I should like to know if her people belonged to the class we call ladies and gentlemen—that is all.”
Overton did not answer at once. His eyes were turned toward his bandaged arm, and a little wrinkle grew between his brows.
“The man is dead, and I don’t think there’s anything for me to say as to his gentlemanly qualities,” he said at last. “He was a prospector and speculator, with an equal amount of vice and virtue in him, I suppose; just about like the rest of us. Her mother I never saw, but have reason to think she was a lady.”
“And you say every word of that as if they were drawn from you with forceps,” said Lyster, cheerily. “Well, I’ll not bother you about it again. But, you see, there is a cousin of mine at the school I spoke of, and I wanted to know because of that. It’s all right, though; my own instincts would tell me she came of good stock. But even good stock will grow wild, you know, if it doesn’t get the right sort of training. You know, old fellow, I’m downright in earnest about wanting to help you about her.”
“Yes, I know. You have, too,” said the other. “You’ve pointed out the school and all, and we see she can’t be left here.”
“Not when you are ranging around the hills, and never a man to take your place as a guard,” agreed Lyster. “I feel about two years old ever since I heard of how you kept annoyances from us last night while we were so 121 serenely unconscious of your trials. ’Tana will scarcely look at me this morning, for no reason but that I did not divine the state of affairs and go to help you. That girl has picked up so much queer knowledge herself that she expects every one to be gifted with second sight.”
Then he told, with a good deal of amusement, the episode of the poker game and the discomfiture of the captain.
Overton said little. He was not so much shocked or vexed over it as Lyster had been, because he had lived more among people to whom such pastimes were not unusual.