“We just been having a little conversation seh?” returned McWilliams, gently, his vigilant eyes searching through the disguise of the other “Just been telling the lady that your call is in friendly spirit. No objections, I suppose?”
The swarthy newcomer, who seemed to be in command, swore sourly.
“Y’u put a knot in your tongue, Mr. Foreman.”
“Ce’tainly, if y’u prefer,” returned the indomitable McWilliams.
“Shut up or I’ll pump lead into you!”
“I’m padlocked, seh.”
Nora Darling interrupted the dialogue by quietly fainting. The foreman caught her as she fell.
“See what y’u done, y’u blamed chump!” he snapped.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE TWO COUSINS
The sheepman lay at his ease, the strong supple lines of him stretched lazily on the lounge. Helen was sitting beside him in an easy chair, and he watched the play of her face in the lamplight as she read from “The Little White Bird.” She was very good to see, so vitally alive and full of a sweet charm that half revealed and half concealed her personality. The imagination with which she threw herself into a discussion of the child fancies portrayed by the Scotch writer captured his fancy. It delighted him to tempt her into discussions that told him by suggestion something of what she thought and was.