Page:Pacific Monthly volumes 9 and 10.djvu/139



HOODOOED

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seen her, but Tex knows her well ; and only to thinK, I didn't even know I had a cousin till she wrote. Uncle John we always thought was an old bachelor when he died."

Well, Cousin Nile came, and most any other woman would have looked as pale and dim beside her as poor little Flossie did. For the cousin — Miss Utley, they called her — had deep, dark eyes that seemed drawin' one away from all the world — to her. Her lips were like wet coral, and when she spoke she always said somethin' that set you wonderin' or thinkin'. She rode horseback with the fearless grace of a Comanche Injin, and I think the belief that every man had who looked in her glowin' face was that she'd go through ice and fire for the man who was lucky enough to win her. Oh, she was a "Lulah." an' she knew it. For she hadn't been there a week before I come suddenly in the room an' sur- prised Tex with her in his arms, a kissin' her as if he'd been starved for just them kisses; an' she wasn't hol- lerin' for no help. And in two weeks' time Helver didn't say three words to poor little Flossie. His whole time was spent with Miss Utley. Yes, and she encouraged him. They rode and drove and walked together, and be- cause Tex couldn't look at the woman without the love and passion he felt for her flashin' to his face, was one of the reasons Ed was doubly happy in her favor.

Flossie drooped like a frost-bitten daisy; and I wondered that her broth- er never took her false lover to task. But I thought perhaps 'twas because he wanted no talk about the girls. He was out the night Helver called and brought the light back to the girl's sad eyes by tellin' her he wanted to talk with her. But he only wanted to break their engagement; and when He begun to sort of excuse himself she laid his ring on the table and come out and sat on an upturned bucket with me till he had gone.

She wasn't bitter toward her cousin, neither. For when, next evenin', that one come back from a drive with Hel- ver. with a diamond on her long, slim finger, nnd announced that she had

promised to be Mrs. Ed, the little girl kissed the dark beauty and hoped she'd be happy.

But what surprised me was the way Tex took it. I thought he'd be mad as a wet hen ; and he did put up a bluff at it when some one was around, but several times I seen 'em together jes' 's if nothin' had happened. I couldn't get the rights of it, but jes' put it down to her play in' fast and loose and keep- in' up a Iktle flirtation with Tex all the time she was engaged to Helver. Tex was certainly gone on Miss Nile, and Flossie was mos' breakin' her heart over Ed, and when he and Miss Nile'd drive past little Flossie, walkin' slow and lookin' as though she was wearyin' to lay her young head down in the grave, if she could only keep out of sight, Ed would smile; but when they met Tex, who couldn't take his eyes off Miss Nile, he'd laugh out- right. There's many such men. I've seen 'em. But I never seen one that didn't buck to the wrong rider some time.

Tex, he stumps him to race with him, an' he bets money, horses, saddles and buggies. La Costa had trotted away from Palmetto in two races, and there was little doubt she would in a third. But Tex was spoilin' to punish Ed, and Palmetto might do a little bet- ter next time. Ed took him, covered every dollar Tex wagered, and bet him horse for horse. "If you win, you'll leave me stripped, Tex," he said, with the look of a man who knows he won't be beat.

"I want to leave you without any- thin'," Tex fairly hissed. "I want you to be glad to get a job swipin'. By the Eternal, I won't leave you nothin'."

Ed laughed, "One thing I'm sure not to have, that's your sister."

Tex sprang toward him, but some- one caught him and told him they were there to settle the wagers, not to fight.

Tex cooled off a bit, an' says he: "Helver, there ain't an hour I don't thank God you will never have my sister."

"Do you thank Him because I'm to have vour cousin?" Ed STie^red. And Tex walks away.Dfjrtfeld^^^^VIiOKDgree