Part 7 (1/2)
”Don't you think their intentions are honorable?”
Sally Jane's laughter was sardonic.
”Are they trying to fool me, or what?” he persisted.
”I don't know whether they're trying to fool you or not,” was the reply, ”but they're trying to fool somebody, that's a cinch.”
”Do you know now, Sally Jane, I was thinking something like that myself.”
She looked at him with a gleam of respect in her eyes. ”I wonder if you really have a brain after all, William. Occasionally you give out a spark that leads one to believe that there may be a trace of reasoning power underneath your waving hair. What makes you think they have an ulterior motive?”
”Humanly speaking, I dunno why; but I do.”
”Instinct is the white woman's burden, boy. You'd better leave it alone. But it doesn't take any instinct to tell me that there's a man and brother hiding in the cord-wood. To find the dark-hued gentleman--that is the question.”
”Why take the trouble?”
”Why? Listen to the man! Why? So you'll know what you're up against, that's why.”
”But I'm not up against anything,” he objected mildly. ”I told 'em I didn't want the job.”
”What?”
He rubbed an outraged ear. ”No need to deafen me,” said he.
”Deafen you?” she cried. ”I could take a club to you, you fat-head!
The opportunity of a lifetime and you turn it down! Oh! I could shriek my head off with rage! I never was so hopping in my life! The first time an honest man is offered a political job in this county, for the honest man to turn up his nose, is----” Words failed her. She almost choked.
”So-o, so-o,” he soothed. ”Don't get so excited. Remember we are young but once, and every outburst brings us nearer the grave. I hadn't reached the end of my tale when you blew up and hit the ceiling.
Lemme finish, that's a good child. I told 'em I didn't want the job, but they wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. They said for me to think it over, and they'd be back in a couple of days and take it up with me again.”
”Bill,” said Sally Jane, leaning forward, her violet eyes s.h.i.+ning, ”I'm serious.”
”I'll try to believe it,” he said, regarding her with admiration. ”But just this minute you look like the most unserious thing I ever saw--and the most beautiful. Listen, Sally Jane, I wish you'd do as I ask you.
Close your eyes and plunge right in. We'd be as happy as two pups in a basket. Sign on the dotted line and leave the rest to me.”
Which nonsense she quite properly disregarded utterly. ”Bill, I want you to take that nomination.”
”But why, Sally Jane? I don't wanna be sheriff.”
”Suppose I want you to?”
”But why should you want me to?”
”Isn't it enough that I ask it?”
”You flirt! You're utterly shameless! You know you can twist me all round your li'l pink finger like a piece of string. You know I'm fool enough to do anything you ask, and----”