Page:Caroline Lockhart--The Fighting Shepherdess.djvu/231

 "Etyet?"

"Not sence daylight. I seen your tepee up toward the top and thought maybe I could locate your wagon and git dinner."

" I'll feed anybody that's hungry," Bowers replied am- biguously.

The stranger asked innocently:

" Who does this Outfit belong to?"

"Miss Kate Prentice owns this brand."

" Oh — the * Cheap Queen' I"

Bowers's head swung as though on a pivot.

"What did you say?"

"I've heerd that's what they call her."

Bowers's eyes narrowed as he answered:

"Not in my hearin'." Then he added: "Nobody can knock the outfit I'm workin' for and eat their grub while they're doin' it. Sabe? "

"Don't know as I blame you," the stranger conciliated.

"I'll go cook," said Bowers shortly, getting up.

The stranger urged politely:

"Don't do nothin' extry on my account."

"I ain't goin' to," Bowers responded. " If we had some ham we'd have some ham and eggs if we had eggs. Do you like turnips ? "

"I kin eat 'em."

" My middle name is * turnips,' " said Bovers. " I always cooks about a bushel I"

The look that his guest sent after him was not pleasant, if Bowers had chanced to see it, but since he did not, he was in a somewhat better humor by the time he hung out of the wagon and called with a degree of cordiality:

"Come and git it!"

The visitor arose with alacrity.