"Lee, you could stand alongside any man," replied Flo, eloquently."You're Western, and you're steady and loyal, and you'll--well, some day you'll be like dad.Could I say more?...But, Lee, this man is different.He is wonderful.I can't explain it, but I feel it.He has been through hell's fire.Oh! will I ever forget his ravings when he lay so ill? He means more to me than just one man.He's American.You're American, too, Lee, and you trained to be a soldier, and you would have made a grand one--if I know old Arizona.But you were not called to France....Glenn Kilbourne went.God only knows what that means.But he went.And there's the difference.I saw the wreck of him.I did a little to save his life and his mind.I wouldn't be an American girl if I didn't love him....Oh, Lee, can't you understand?""I reckon so.I'm not begrudging Glenn what--what you care.I'm only afraid I'll lose you.""I never promised to marry you, did I?"
"Not in words.But kisses ought to--?"
"Yes, kisses mean a lot," she replied."And so far I stand committed.Isuppose I'll marry you some day and be blamed lucky.I'll be happy, too--don't you overlook that hunch....You needn't worry.Glenn is in love with Carley.She's beautiful, rich--and of his class.How could he ever see me?""Flo, you can never tell," replied Stanton, thoughtfully."I didn't like her at first.But I'm comin' round.The thing is, Flo, does she love him as you love him?""Oh, I think so--I hope so," answered Flo, as if in distress.
"I'm not so shore.But then I can't savvy her.Lord knows I hope so, too.
If she doesn't--if she goes back East an' leaves him here--I reckon my case--""Hush! I know she's out here to take him back.Let's go downstairs now.""Aw, wait--Flo," he begged."What's your hurry?...Come-give me--""There! That's all you get, birthday or no birthday," replied Flo, gayly.
Carley heard the soft kiss and Stanton's deep breath, and then footsteps as they walked away in the gloom toward the stairway.Carley leaned against the log wall.She felt the rough wood--smelled the rusty pine rosin.Her other hand pressed her bosom where her heart beat with unwonted vigor.
Footsteps and voices sounded beneath her.Twilight had deepened into night.
The low murmur of the waterfall and the babble of the brook floated to her strained ears.
Listeners never heard good of themselves.But Stanton's subtle doubt of any depth to her, though it hurt, was not so conflicting as the ringing truth of Flo Hutter's love for Glenn.This unsought knowledge powerfully affected Carley.She was forewarned and forearmed now.It saddened her, yet did not lessen her confidence in her hold on Glenn.But it stirred to perplexing pitch her curiosity in regard to the mystery that seemed to cling round Glenn's transformation of character.This Western girl really knew more about Glenn than his fiancee knew.Carley suffered a humiliating shock when she realized that she had been thinking of herself, of her love, her life, her needs, her wants instead of Glenn's.It took no keen intelligence or insight into human nature to see that Glenn needed her more than she needed him.
Thus unwontedly stirred and upset and flung back upon pride of herself, Carley went downstairs to meet the assembled company.And never had she shown to greater contrast, never had circumstance and state of mind contrived to make her so radiant and gay and unbending.She heard many remarks not intended for her far-reaching ears.An old grizzled Westerner remarked to Hutter: "Wall, she's shore an unbroke filly." Another of the company--a woman--remarked: "Sweet an' pretty as a columbine.But I'd like her better if she was dressed decent." And a gaunt range rider, who stood with others at the porch door, looking on, asked a comrade: "Do you reckon that's style back East?" To which the other replied: "Mebbe, but I'd gamble they're short on silk back East an' likewise sheriffs."Carley received some meed of gratification out of the sensation she created, but she did not carry her craving for it to the point of overshadowing Flo.On the contrary, she contrived to have Flo share the attention she received.She taught Flo to dance the fox-trot and got Glenn to dance with her.Then she taught it to Lee Stanton.And when Lee danced with Flo, to the infinite wonder and delight of the onlookers, Carley experienced her first sincere enjoyment of the evening.
Her moment came when she danced with Glenn.It reminded her of days long past and which she wanted to return again.Despite war tramping and Western labors Glenn retained something of his old grace and lightness.But just to dance with him was enough to swell her heart, and for once she grew oblivious to the spectators.
"Glenn, would you like to go to the Plaza with me again, and dance between dinner courses, as we used to?" she whispered up to him.
"Sure I would--unless Morrison knew you were to be there," he replied.
"Glenn!...I would not even see him."
"Any old time you wouldn't see Morrison!" he exclaimed, half mockingly.
His doubt, his tone grated upon her.Pressing closer to him, she said, "Come back and I'll prove it."But he laughed and had no answer for her.At her own daring words Carley's heart had leaped to her lips.If he had responded, even teasingly, she could have burst out with her longing to take him back.But silence inhibited her, and the moment passed.
At the end of that dance Hutter claimed Glenn in the interest of neighboring sheep men.And Carley, crossing the big living room alone, passed close to one of the porch doors.Some one, indistinct in the shadow, spoke to her in low voice: "Hello, pretty eyes!"Carley felt a little cold shock go tingling through her.But she gave no sign that she had heard.She recognized the voice and also the epithet.