Part 28 (2/2)

”Why, it seems so,” admitted Bowles; ”but how do you know he will?”

”How do I know?” repeated Dixie, rolling her eyes on him. ”Why, Mr.

Bowles, have you been around the Bat Wing for two months and failed to note who was boss? Right after you and Brigham Clark left I went down and _fired_ that Hardy Atkins--so you don't need to be bashful about coming back.”

Her voice trailed off a little as she ended, and Bowles started and looked at the ground. New worlds and vistas appeared before him, and visions and sudden dreams--and then he was back by her side, and the road was pa.s.sing by.

”I'm sorry,” he said at last. ”It's my own fault--I should have explained at the beginning. But now your mother has written to her sister, and she has told my aunt, and so I've got to move on. She's telegraphing already.” He showed her the yellow message and slipped it back into his pocket. ”And there was a deputy sheriff inquiring for me,”

he added bitterly.

”Oh, dear!” pouted Dixie, yanking at the reluctant pack-horse. ”I just knew she'd do it. Mother means well, but she's a New Yorker, and--well, I hope she's satisfied!”

”Yes, I hope so too,” added Bowles. ”I never did have anything to be ashamed of, but--do you know who I am?”

”No, I don't,” answered Dixie May. ”And I don't care, either,” she added, glancing across at him with clear-seeing eyes. ”I always knew you were a gentleman, and--say, what's the matter with that pack?”

She dismounted quickly as she spoke, and Bowles dropped off to help.

Then, after the ropes had been tightened, they stood silent within the circle of their horses.

”Mr. Bowles,” began Dixie, leaning one arm on the pack and looking thoughtfully away, ”being the man you are, you--you wouldn't compel a lady to apologize to you, would you?”

”Why no, no--certainly not!” gasped Bowles, alarmed by a mistiness in her eyes.

”Because if that's what you're going away for----”

”Oh, my dear Miss Lee!” protested Bowles, now suddenly stirred to the depths. ”Don't think of it--not for a moment! No, indeed! I will confess that I was a little hurt by your--but that's all right! That's all right! You don't know my aunt, do you, Miss Lee? I can't explain it to you, but--well, she's a very determined woman, in her way, and--well, she wants me to come home.”

”Yes?”

”Yes, and so I'd better move on. I'm sorry that Brig can't go along with me, but--well, I can go alone. Do you remember one time, when we were coming West, I spoke about the spirit of the country--the spirit of the West? Well, I have found it--it is to move on!”

”And never come back?” inquired Dixie quickly.

”Well, something like that,” admitted Bowles.

”Yes, I do remember that,” responded Dixie, with a reminiscent smile. ”I remember it well. We were alone on the train and we said all kinds of things--I didn't know you very well then. I remember you told me once, if I'd help you find the Far West, you'd be my faithful knight--and all that. And I helped you, too, didn't I?”

”Why, yes!” said Bowles, puzzled by her air.

”Well, what about being my knight?” demanded Dixie, with sudden frankness. ”You've done well out here, Mr. Bowles, but there's one thing I'm disappointed in--you don't keep the customs of the country!”

”Why, what do you mean, Miss Lee?” inquired Bowles.

A sudden smile illuminated Dixie's face--the same smile that had taken possession of him when he had forgotten and stolen a kiss--and then she turned away and blushed.

”Well,” she said, ”you're the first Bat Wing man that has gone away without--without proposing to me!”

She glanced at him defiantly and folded her arms--and Bowles felt his reason eclipsed, and the world go dark before him. A thousand riotous thoughts clamored suddenly for recognition, and his brain reeled at the shock. Then he opened his eyes, and she was still smiling at him, but the smile had a twinkle of mischief in it. The memory of her legion of suitors came over him now, and her carefree, jesting ways, and he became of a sudden calm. They had all proposed, and she had led them on, and then she had told them no. But she should never deal that ignominy to him. If she scorned his humble suit and desired only to add his scalp to the rest, he would escape at least with his pride--he would never let her say he had proposed.

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