She stood a moment as if blindly watching the place where he had vanished, and then as a sister might have turned to a brother, she reached for me.
Chapter 8
THE EAVESDROPPER
We silently rode home in the gathering dusk. Miss Sampson dismounted at the porch, but Sally went on with me to the corrals. I felt heavy and somber, as if a catastrophe was near at hand.
"Help me down," said Sally. Her voice was low and tremulous.
"Sally, did you hear what Miss Sampson said to Steele?" I asked.
"A little, here and there. I heard Steele tell her he loved her. Isn't this a terrible mix?"
"It sure is. Did you hear—do you understand why she appealed to Steele, asked him to be her friend?"
"Did she? No, I didn't hear that. I heard her say she had wronged him. Then I tried not to hear any more. Tell me."