“That’s for me to know.”
Della walked away from Butch, who leaned against the bar, trying to figure out what it all meant. He was sure that Cultus did not work for Marsh. There was something wrong somewhere, but Butch wasn’t sure just where it was. But he did decide on one thing—to get in touch with Kendall Marsh as quickly as possible. He was saddling his horse at the livery stable, when Cultus came in to put up his horse.
Butch started to say something, but changed his mind, and decided to see Kendall before doing anything else.
A little later in the afternoon Harry Kelton rode in, bringing Cultus’s saddle.
“I went out and got both of the saddles,” he told Cultus. “Tried to find where you folks came down that trail, but I didn’t find it.”
“Well, I’m shore glad to get my saddle,” grinned Cultus. “I’ve been ridin’ a hull that belongs to the stableman, and it shore didn’t fit me none to speak about. How’s yore sister to-day?”
“Still a little lame, and she get white around the gills, when she talks about the climb you folks took. Dad said to bring yuh out to have supper with us.”
“I’d like to do that.”
“That’s fine. You’ve kinda got the old man thinkin’ about things. Yuh know, he’s always been bitter as the devil toward Blaze Nolan, since that shootin’ scrape. I reckon we all have, as far as that’s concerned. Ben was dad’s favourite, and it almost killed him. But I reckon he’s thinkin’ about what you said out at the house, and we wants to talk more with yuh. Bein’ crippled the way he is, he’s got lots of time to frame up a hate against anybody, and he thinks you’ve got lots of sense. And Jane said she’d be glad if you’d come out, too.”
“That settles it,” grinned Cultus. “I’ll shore come now. If I was handsome and ten years younger, yore dad would have to sit on the front porch with a shotgun to keep me away. I think yore sister is the gamest girl I ever met.”