"I'll put the li'l horse under the shed first. He's kinda warm. Rafe, don't lemme detain you. You seemed all in a rush when I met you."
Rafe Tuckleton lingered not.
Billy Wingo led his mount under the shed and returned to the house. Hazel was pouring off the washing water when he entered the kitchen.
"What made you bring Tuckleton back?" she asked pouring fresh water over the butter.
"I met him coming away from here, and I didn't like the way he looked. I thought maybe—" He let it go at that.
"He was here for a while," said Hazel, bringing her bowl to the table and beginning again to knead the yellow mass of butter. "I don't like that man."
Billy was at the table instantly. "Look here, Hazel——"
"Look here, Billy," she mimicked, lifting calm black eyes to his face. "Don't you go fussbudgeting. I'm quite capable of managing my admirers."
"Admirers! Him!" gasped Wingo.
"He proposed to me. I turned him down."