Part 4 (2/2)
”He's Vil Holland, an' his hoss's name is Buck. I like him, only sometimes he chases me home.”
”Vil Holland!” she exclaimed aloud, and her lips pressed tighter. So this man was Vil Holland--_that_ Vil Holland, everybody called him.
The man who had chased an inoffensive sheep herder from the range, and whose name stood for lawlessness in the hill country! So Aunt Rebecca's allusion to desperate characters had not been so far-fetched, after all. He looked the part. Patty's glance took in the vivid blue scarf with its fastening of polished buffalo horn, the huge revolver that swung in its holster, and the brown leather jug that dangled from the horn of his saddle.
”Good-mornin'!” He drew up beside the trail, and the girl reined in her horses, flus.h.i.+ng slightly as she did so--she had meant to drive past without speaking. She acknowledged the greeting with a formal bow. The man ignored the frigidity.
”I see you found Watts's all right.”
”Yes, thank you.”
”Well, if there ain't Microby Dandeline! An' rigged out for who throw'd the chunk! Goin' to town to take in the picture show, an all the sights, I expect.”
”We're goin' to the _hotel_,” explained the girl proudly.
”My ain't that fine!”
”I got a red dress.”
”Why so you have. Seein' you mentioned it, I can notice a shade of red to it. An' that bonnet just sets it off right. That'll make folks set up an' take notice, I'll bet.”
”I'm a-goin' to the store, too.”
”What do you think of that!” the man drew a half-dollar from his pockets. ”Here, get you some candy an' take some home to the kids.”
Microby reached for the coin, but Patty drew back her arm.
”Don't touch that!” she commanded sharply, then, with a withering look that encompa.s.sed both the man and his jug, she struck the horses with her whip and started down the trail.
”I could of boughten some candies,” complained Microby Dandeline.
”I will buy you all the candy you want, but you must promise me never to take any money from men--and especially from that man.”
Microby glanced back wistfully, and as the wagon rumbled on her eyes closed and her head began to nod.
”Why, child, you are sleepy!” exclaimed Patty, in surprise.
”Yes, mom. I reckon I laid awake all night a-thinkin' about goin' to town.”
”If I were you I would lie down on the hay and take a nap.”
The girl eyed the hay longingly and shook her head. ”I like to ride,”
she objected, sleepily.
”You will be riding just the same.”
”Yes but we might see somethin'. Onct we seen a nortymobile without no hosses an' hit squarked louder'n a settin' hen an' went faster'n what a hoss kin run.”
”You go to sleep and if there is anything to see I'll wake you up. If you don't sleep now you'll have to sleep when you get to town and I'm sure you don't want to do that.”
”No, mom. Mebbe ef I hurry up an' sleep fast they won't no nortymobiles come, but if they does, you wake me.”
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