Part 16 (1/2)
”Yes,” answered Bowles serenely; ”they hazed me for a day or two. You seem to have a great many admirers out here, Miss Lee.”
Dixie May's eyes flashed at the evident implication, and she had a retort on her lips, but something in his manner restrained her.
”How can I help it if the boys get foolish?” she demanded severely. ”And you don't want to let your Eastern ideas deceive you--it's the custom of the country out here.”
”Yes, indeed,” purled Bowles; ”and a very pretty custom, too. Have you just come back from Chula Vista?”
”Yes, I have!” snapped Dixie. ”But you don't need to get so superior about it! I guess I can do what I please, can't I?”
”Why, certainly,” a.s.sented Bowles.
”Well, then, what do you want to get so supercilious for?” raged Dixie.
”I don't know, there's something about the way you talk that fairly maddens me! I've a good mind to tell the boys who you are, and have them run you out of the country! Why didn't you take that letter I wrote you?”
She was angry now, and her voice was pitched high for a scolding, but Bowles showed no signs of fear.
”The letter you wrote was addressed to Samuel Houghton,” he said; ”and that is not my name.”
”Well, what is your name, then?” demanded Dixie. ”Bowles?”
For a moment Bowles gazed at her, and there was a pained look in his eyes--what if his beloved should turn out to be a scold?
”Why do you ask?” he inquired; and so gently did he say it that she faltered, as if ashamed.
”Well,” she said, ”I guess it isn't any of my business, _is_ it? I don't know what I'm doing here, anyway. If there's any one thing that makes Mother furious, it's to see me hanging around the bunk-house. She thinks I----”
She rose suddenly, and shook out her skirt, but Bowles did not protest.
”You don't seem to care whether I go or not?” she pouted.
”Quite the contrary, I a.s.sure you, Miss Lee,” declared Bowles earnestly.
”But I'm not on my own ground now, and--well, I don't wish to take advantage of your hospitality.”
”No,” said Dixie with gentle irony, ”nothing like that! You want to be careful how you treat these Arizona girls--they're liable to misunderstand your motives!”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”'YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TREAT THESE ARIZONA GIRLS!'”]
Bowles' eyes lighted up with a merry twinkle, but he preserved his poker face.
”Oh, I hope not!” he said; and then both of them smiled very knowingly.
”The reason I wanted to get your name,” observed Dixie, sitting down and smoothing out her skirt again, ”was in case you got hurt or killed. Who am I going to write to in case you go out like Dunbar? Houghton? Bowles?
Or who-all? You know, I feel kind of responsible for you, considering the way you got out here, and----”
”Oh, don't think of that!” protested Bowles, coming over and sitting near her. ”If I get hurt, the boys will take care of me; and if I get killed--well, it won't matter then what you do.”
”Well, don't get killed,” urged Dixie kindly. ”And if you get hurt, Mother and I will nurse you back to health and strength.”
”Oh, will you?” cried Bowles. ”I'll remember that, you may be sure! But, speaking of names, has there been any one in Chula Vista inquiring for Samuel Houghton?”