Page:Caroline Lockhart--The Fighting Shepherdess.djvu/97

 difference whether they are brilliant or rich or successful, if only they are true-hearted. Loyalty is the great attribute — but," and he shrugged a shoulder," it is my judgment that you will not find it in that quarter." "You're prejudiced."

"It is my privilege to have an opinion," he replied coldly.

"We were going to be friends — Mrs. Toomey and I — we shook hands on it!" Tears of angry disappointment were close to the surface.

He replied, doggedly: "If you have to buy your friendships, Katie, you'd better keep your money."

The speech stung her. She glared at him across the narrow table, and, in the moment, each had a sense of unreality. The quarrel was like a bolt from the blue, as startling and unexpected — as most quarrels are — the bitterest and most lasting. Then she sprang to her feet and hurled a taunt at him some Imp of Darkness must have suggested: "You're jealous!" She stamped a foot at him. "That's the real reason. You're jealous of everybody that would be friends with me! You're jealous of Hughie. You didn't like his coming here and you don't like his writing to me! I hate you — I won't stay any longer!" It was the blood of Jezebel of the Sand Coulee talking, and there was the look of her mother on the girl's face, in her reckless, uncontrolled fury.

Mormon Joe winced, exactly as though she had struck him. He sat quite still while the color faded, leaving his face bloodless. Kate never had known anything like the white rage it depicted. Persons at the Sand Coulee who lost their temper cursed volubly and loudly, and threatened or made bodily attacks upon the cause of it. In spite