"That's a double misfortune," she replied, evenly. "It's too bad both came at once. It seems to me if I were a cowboy and--and felt so toward a girl, I'd have let her know."
"This girl I mean knew, all right," he said, nodding his head.
"She didn't--she didn't!" cried Columbine.
"How do you know?" he queried, with feigned surprise. He was bent upon torturing her.
"You meant me. I'm the girl you lost!"
"Yes, you are--God help me!" replied Moore, with genuine emotion.
"But you--you never told me--you never told me," faltered Columbine, in distress.
"Never told you what? That you were my girl?"
"No--no. But that you--you cared--"
"Columbine Belllounds, I told you--let you see--in every way under the sun," he flashed at her.