Page:Caroline Lockhart--The Fighting Shepherdess.djvu/122

                       THE FIGHTING SHEPHERDESS

"Goodness, but I'm glad I don't have to cook supper! I haven't had anything warm since morning." Bowers stood with the broom in his hand, staring, while Kate removed her cap and jacket. Then he cast an evil look upon the deputy, a look which said, "You liar!"

As she made to get the food from the stove he inter- posed hastily: "You set down, Ma'am." Lingle gave him a. look which was equally significant, a jeering look which said ironically, " Woman hater!" Bowers colored with pleasure when she lauded his "cowpuncher potatoes" and exclaimed over the biscuits.

When Kate had finished she looked from one to the other and beamed upon them impartially. "It's nice to see people. I haven't seen any one for six weeks except Uncle Joe," wistfully. "I wish he had come back with you—it's so lonesome."

There was an immediate silence and then Bowers cleared his throat noisily. "Night 'fore last was tol'able chilly in your wagon, I reckon?" Her face sobered. "It was—terrible! I couldn't sleep for the cold, and thinking about and pitying the stock on the range, and anybody that had to be out in it. I was glad Uncle Joe was safe in Prouty—there was no need for us both to be out here suffering."

Again there was silence, and once more Bowers came to the rescue with a feeble witticism, at which he himself laughed hollowly: "I hearn that a feller eatin' supper with a steel knife got his tongue froze to it, and they had a time thawin' him over the tea kettle."

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