Page:Max Brand--The Seventh Man.djvu/37

Rh knew that she would have died for him; accordingly they abandoned themselves to sullen fury.

“You're out of date, Vic,” she ran on. “Men can't drag women around nowadays, and you can't drag me. Not—one—inch.” She put a vicious little interval between each of the last three words.

“I'll be calling for you at seven o'clock.”

“I won't be there.”

“Then I'll call on Blondy.”

“You don't dare to. Don't you try to bluff me. I'm not that kind.”

“Betty, d'you mean that? D'you think that I'm yaller?”

“I don't care what you are.”

“I ask you calm and impersonal, just think that over before you say it.”

“I've already thought it over.”

“Then, by God,” said Gregg, trembling, “I'll never take one step out of my way to see you again.”

He turned, so blind with fury that he shouldered the door on his way out and so, into the saddle, with Grey Molly standing like a figure of rock, as if she sensed his mood. He swung her about on her hind legs with a wrench on the curb and a lift of his spurs, but when she leaped into a gallop he brought her back to the walk with a cruel jerk; she began to sidle across the field with her chin drawn almost back to her breast, prancing. That movement of the horse brought him half way around towards the door and he was tempted