"Do you know what you are? You
are the one loyal person in a tricky world. I am still fair enough to
say that it was fine--splendid! And I only wish my father were worthier
of such superb loyalty and affection."
She looked at him curiously for a moment. Then her mood changed in the
twinkling of an eye, and she laughed and said: "Yes, I think women are
more loyal than men; and I am sure they are vastly more discerning at
times. Don't you think--"
The interruption was the appearance of two horsemen pushing their
animals out of a small gorge on the right. When they had gained the main
road they came up, ambling easily, and Blount instantly recognized the
leader of the pair. It was Barto again.
"Howdy?" said the timber-looker, riding up to hang with one knee over
the saddle while he grinned genially at the two castaways. "Lost out
ag'in, ain't ye, Mr. Blount? Couldn't make out, nohow, to run yer
chug-wagon over that there pine-tree, could ye?"
"Did you put the tree in the road?" snapped Blount, his anger rising
promptly, now that there was a man to quarrel with.
"I reckon we did; and it was one Hades of a job, too," was the cool
reply. "Had to drag the dern thing f'r more'n half a mile down the gulch
with the hawss-ropes."
Here was plenty of material for a wrathful explosion, but Blount
controlled himself.
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