The events of these days had almost driven from Zen’s mind the tragedy of George Drazk. When she thought of it at all it presented such a grotesque unreality—it was such an unreasonable thing—that it assumed the vague qualities of a dream. It was something unreal and very much better forgotten, and it was only by an unwilling effort at such times that she could bring herself to know that it was not unreal. It was a matter that concerned her tremendously. Sooner or later Drazk’s disappearance must be noted,—perhaps his body would be found—and while she had little fear that anyone would associate her with the tragedy it was a most unpleasant thing to think about. Sometimes she wondered if she should not tell her father or Transley just what had happened, but she shrank from doing so as from the confession of a crime. Mostly she was able to think of other matters.
Her father brought it up in a startling way at breakfast. Absolutely out of a blue sky he said, “Did you know, Zen, that Drazk has disappeared? Transley tells me you were int’rested a bit in him, or perhaps I should say he was int’rested in you.”
Zen was so overcome by this startling change in the conversation that she was unable to answer. The color went from her face and she leaned low over her plate to conceal her agitation.
“Yep,” continued Y.D., with no more concern than if a steer had been lost from the herd. “Transley said to tell you Drazk had disappeared an’ he reckoned you wouldn’t be bothered any more with him.”
“Drazk was nothing to me,” she managed to say. “How can you think he was?”
“Now who said he was?” her father retorted. “For a young woman with the price of a herd of steers on her third finger you’re sort o’ short this mornin’. Now I’m jus’ wonderin’ how far you can see through a board fence, Zen. Are you surprised that Drazk has disappeared?”
She was entirely at a loss to understand the drift of her father’s talk. He could not connect her with Drazk’s disappearance, or he would not approach the matter with such unconcern. That was unthinkable. Neither could Transley, or he would not have sent so brutal a message. And yet it was clear that they thought she should be interested.
Her father’s question demanded an answer.
“What should I care?” she ventured at length.
“I didn’t ask you whether you cared. I asked you whether you was surprised.”