As the first he had a perfect right to love her and to
ask her to marry him, but as the latter--well, that was quite a
different affair. He had not a cent to bless himself with outside
of his little ranch and his salary, and, though he might not
question his own motives under such circumstances, there would be
plenty who would question them for him. He was an independent
young man as one could find in a long day's ride, and his pride
rose up to padlock his lips.
She looked across at him in shy surprise, for all the eagerness
had in an instant been sponged from his face. With a hard,
impassive countenance he dropped the hand he had seized and
turned away.
"You were saying--" she suggested.
"I reckon I've forgot what it was. It doesn't matter, anyhow."
She was hurt, and deeply. It was all very well for her to try her
little wiles to delay him, but in her heart she longed to hear
the words he had been about to say. It had been very sweet to
know that this brown, handsome son of Arizona loved her, very
restful to know that for the first time in her life she could
trustfully let her weakness lean on the strength of another.
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