Seth had gained some enthusiasm while he spoke, and the girl was quick to notice the change.
“I believe you’re beginning to fancy the notion,” she said, with a bright flash of her eyes.
“Mebbe.”
Seth’s reply was half shamefaced. Rosebud removed her arm from his knees and turned away, idly drawing vague outlines upon the dusty ground with her forefinger. She was smiling too. It was partly a mischievous smile, and yet there was something very nervous about it. She was thinking, thinking, and found it very hard to say what she wanted to.
“I wonder if you’d help me to do something I want to do very much?” she asked at last. “Something very, very particular?”
“Why, sure,” was the ready answer. “That’s how it’s allus bin.”
“Yes, I know. It’s always been like that. But this is something much harder.” Rosebud smiled a little wistfully into the strong face above her.
“You ken gamble on me.”
“Of course I can. I know that.”
Another silence fell. The girl continued to draw outrageous parallelograms in the dust. Seth smoked on, waiting for her. The last rays of the setting sun 369 were shining athwart the golden head which his dark eyes were contemplating.