“I don’t,” said Dawn seriously.
“You’re pretty,” said Conley slowly.
“I’m a half-breed.”
“You stop that! I hate that word, Dawn. If there’s any mixed blood that you might be ashamed of, it’s on my side. You mother is an American.”
“You right!” said Mrs. Conley. “My father big chief.”
“Well, I wouldn’t rate him too high,” said Conley. “If I hadn’t tracked some horses he stole from me to his teepee, I wouldn’t have met you; so that’s all right.”
“That was my grandfather,” said Dawn bitterly. “A horsethief.”
“Well,” amended Conley, “he didn’t really steal ’em, Dawn. Me and him made a deal. He kept six pintos and I took his daughter. That’s the only time I ever cheated an Injun.”
Conley looked fondly at his fat wife. She smiled. Dawn laughed and turned toward the door, going into the house.
A moment later came the sound of horses, and two riders swept around the corner of the house. They jerked to a stop, throwing a shower of gravel against the steps. Moses Conley sprang to his feet.