“Of course not. Then it's all settled,” Arlie cut in, and rushed on to another subject. “How's the round-up coming, dad?”
“We'll talk about the round-up later. What I'm saying is that Mr. Fraser has only got to say the word, and I'm there to he'p him till the cows come home.”
“That's just what I told him, dad.”
“Hold yore hawsses, will yo', honey? But, notwithstanding which, and not backing water on that proposition none, we come to another p'int.”
“Which Jed made to you carefully on the way down,” his daughter interrupted scornfully.
“It don't matter who made it. The p'int is that there are reasons why strangers ain't exactly welcome in this valley right now, Mr. Fraser. This country is full o' suspicion. Whilst it's onjust, charges are being made against us on the outside. Right now the settlers here have got to guard against furriners. Now I know yo're all right, Mr. Fraser. But my neighbors don't know it.”
“It was our lives he saved, not our neighbors',” scoffed Arlie.
“K'rect. So I say, Mr. Fraser, if yo' are out o' funds, I'll finance you. Wherever you want to go I'll see you git there, but I hain't got the right to invite you to stay in Lost Valley.”
“Better send him to Gimlet Butte, dad! He killed a man in helping us to escape, and he 's wanted bad! He broke jail to get here! Pay his expenses back to the Butte! Then if there's a reward, you and Jed can divide it!” his daughter jeered.
“What's that? Killed a man, yo' say?”