He stood a moment at the vacant doorway and then, with a sinister smile showing the firm, white teeth set hard together, he said, half audibly: “You—shall!”
Bess found Mrs. West and succeeded rather poorly in trying to be calm. The dear, white-haired woman placed her arm lovingly about the girl and led her gently back into the living-room.
Mr. Davis was standing with his back to the door as they entered, toying carelessly with the faded roses.
“Your beautiful roses were greatly enjoyed and appreciated. We thank you for them, Mr. Davis,” said Bess, in a voice which showed that she had not yet recovered her composure.
She still clung to Mrs. West’s hand, as if she needed her assuring clasp. Mrs. West could not refrain a smile at the extra stress which the girl placed on the “we,” and added: “Yes, and you may judge by their condition, Mr. Davis, how greatly they were prized. American Beauties are not plentiful here, and their rarity as well as their beauty makes them doubly dear.”
“I am sorry, Mrs. West, to have been so tardy in coming to see you. But I found affairs in great confusion when I returned to the Agency. Will you kindly tell me how much I am indebted to you?”
A look of anger and humiliation clouded the woman’s face. She did not reply at once and was relieved from doing so by Bess, who drew herself up to her full height and said with a bravado that astonished both her hearers: “Mr. Davis, do not insult my little Mother by offering money for her kindness towards you. Such indebtedness is only liquidated by—by—gratitude, and by—roses,” she added, glancing at Mrs. West, and pulled the shriveled petals off and dropped them carelessly on the rug.
“I see it is utterly useless to offer anything but my thanks, Mrs. West.” Davis held out his hand to her and turning to the girl he added, “And may I send more roses?”
As he took his departure a moment later, Mrs. West asked Bess if she would ride as far as Polson with Mr. Davis and bring the mail. There did not seem any plausible excuse to offer for not wishing to go, and Davis gladly waited until she had donned her riding habit and a man had brought Mauchacho from the stables.