Tex shrugged his shoulders.
“I know when I’m whipped,” he said, with just a trace of bitterness in his voice. “It seems that Legg didn’t. If yuh want me to sign that affidavit, regardin’ his ability, bring it around. Leesom and Brand know I wouldn’t be fool enough to wish him on to me as a boss, unless he was capable—and I’ll teach him all I know.”
“That’s square enough,” nodded Hashknife. “Wait until I saddle my bronc, and I’ll ride to Blue Wells with yuh. Me and Sleepy have got to peddle a couple of horses before that train pulls through.”
“Yo’re not leavin’ so soon, are yuh?”
Marion and Jimmy were coming from the ranch-house, and with them was Nanah, her head bandaged up. Geronimo circled them, barking with joy. Jimmy was clad in a baggy pair of overalls and a shirt three sizes too large for him. The face-washing operation had opened the cuts on Jimmy’s face, and he was beginning to look like a war-path Indian.
“We’ll all three ride in the buggy,” said Marion. “Jimmy is too weak and sore to ride a horse, and Nanah won’t.”
Tex offered to hitch up the horse, and Marion went with him to the stable. Hashknife drew Jimmy aside.
“I reckon you’ve made good, Jimmy,” Hashknife said slowly. “I’ll see that the right report goes to Leesom and Brand. You’ll marry and settle down on the X Bar 6, I reckon, eh?”
“Marry and settle down?”
“Yeah—sure. You’ll marry her, won’t yuh?”