She looked straight at him. "Don't be priggish," she said. "Dade and
Malcolm have nothing to do with the running of this ranch. I want you
to go with me, because I am going to buy some cattle and I want you to
confirm the deal."
He laughed. "Do you reckon you need to go at all?" he said. "I figure
to know cattle some myself, an' I wouldn't let Kelton hornswoggle me."
She straightened, her chin lifting a little. "Well," she said slowly,
"if that is the way you feel, I presume I shall have to go alone. I
had thought, though, that the prospective owner of the Lazy Y might
have enough interest in his property to put aside his likes and
dislikes long enough to care for his own interests. Also," she added,
"where I came from, no man would be ungentlemanly enough to refuse to
accompany a lady anywhere she might ask him to go."
The flush on his face grew. But he refused to become disconcerted. "I
reckon to be as much of a gentleman as any Texas guy," he said. "But I
expect, though," he added; "to prove that to you I'll have to trail
along after you."
"Of course," she said, the corners of her mouth dimpling a little.
He went down to the corral, roped the most gentle and best appearing
one of the two horses he had bought in Lazette, caught up his own
horse, Blackleg, and brought them to the stable, where he saddled and
bridled them.
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