“Mebby! Yuh make me sick. I suppose you’ll sell off half the stock you’ve got left and give the money to Lila.”
“She wouldn’t take it.”
“No, I don’t reckon she would. She always was an independent little critter. But Angel—well, he took anythin’ that wasn’t tied down. And you kinda favored him, Rance. I used to kinda wonder why it was, but since I heard what I did that night, I re’lize things. Blood is thicker’n water, after all is said and done.”
Old Rance turned and looked at Chuckwalla wistfully.
“Wasn’t I good to Lila?”
“Good? Shore yuh was. But yuh kinda favored Angel.”
“I’ve tried to be good to both of ’em, Chuckwalla.”
“I know yuh did, Rance. Hell, don’t mind me.”
“Yessir, I tried to be,” wearily. “It was pretty rough in them days—when my wife died. She left me with the baby. I didn’t know nothin’ about babies, Chuckwalla. But I learned about ’em.”
Old Rance smiled softly.