“Never mind, mother,” said Roy. “Rex and I will pitch in and help.”
And they did, they and Eva and Jess. Rex was just carrying a tray of dishes into the pantry when he heard a louder voice than usual coming from one of the tables.
He looked around. He saw Jess, flushed to her hair, standing behind a young man who had come in with one of the regular guests, and whom he had not noticed before.
“Come now, I’ll give you a nice tip if you’ll do it for me,” Rex heard the fellow say.
He thought he recognized the voice. He put his tray down and hurried to his sister’s side.
She had started to walk away, but the man had caught her by the dress and held her fast.
“He wants me to go to the saloon across the street and bring him a bottle of beer,” said Jess.
Rex stooped quickly and disengaged the fellow’s hand with no gentle touch. In doing so he looked him straight in the face. It was Ashby Stout.
“Great Scott, it’s little Pell,” exclaimed Stout. Then he added quickly: “Look here, youngster, what right have you to send that girl away from here?”
“A brother’s right,” replied Rex promptly.