Page:Short Grass (1926).pdf/217

 of anger faded out of his lean cheeks, the fire of resentment out of his eyes.

"I always did talk too much," he said slowly, his voice low as if he lay the charge to his own conscience, and not for the ears of anybody at all.

Zora reached out with quick impulse, leaning, and touched his shoulder.

"Did you give pa that letter?"

"I didn't think of it that minute, I was so rattled. They started on me as soon as I rode into camp. I sent it to him after I came back across the river yesterday morning."

"It might have made a big difference in the way he talked to you if you'd handed him the letter first," she said regretfully. "You saw what a difference it made in all of them after they'd heard about Kellogg. If it hadn't been for that you'd never 'a' got that herd through, Bill."

"I wasn't any better man after that than before."

"They thought you were, anyhow. If that herd brings in the fever it'll clean us out. Oh, Bill! why didn't you think of me—me and mother and the boys? We tried to treat you right when you were here."

"Hughes, the man that owns them, says they're clean cattle."

"They all say that, but they don't know. Their cattle never show it."

"Yes, you folks treated me white," Bill said, going back to the question which he was too honest to dodge.

"Hal Garland came by last night and told us about you bringin' the herd in. Everybody's gettin' their