He took this in slowly, his hands clenching, the hot tears scalding his lids. Then burst out with boyish anguish and passion:
"Don't say that, Nettie. I can't believe it. It ain't true. You and me—we're promised. I been thinking of nothing else. I built the little house for you. It's all ready now, dear, and I come on up to Bar Q now to tell you I got a chance to go to the States with the purebred stuff, and there's a bonus of $500 in it for me, and a $10 raise to my wages. Nettie, girl, I took him up on that proposition, because I wanted to do more for you."
"Why did you go away?" said Nettie harshly.
"I went on your account. You ain't mad about that, are you, girl? Why, I wanted to make things softer for you, and I got a chance now to make good money—$500, Nettie, and I says to myself: 'Here's where Nettie and me'll go off on our honeymoon to the U.S.,' and I come up here now thinking, 'Here's where we'll put one over on the Bull, and we'll slip down to Calgary and get married, and then we get aboard the train. I'll spring my wife on the outfit and——'"
He choked and gulped, and Nettie moaned aloud, crying:
"I tell you I ain't the same. I'm changed. You oughtn't to've gone away."
Dark suspicions began to mount and with their growth jealous fury caused him to swing her roughly about, so that again she faced him. But she evaded his glance, turning her head from side to side, so that she need not meet his accusing hot young eyes.
"You got another fellow, have you? Have you? You can answer that, anyway."
But there was no answer from the girl, and as his grip relaxed on her arms, her head dropped dumbly down. A cruel laugh broke from the boy's lips.