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And youve got a hunch youre the somebody? Youre very unkind, at least, rejoined
Randolph, vexed and hurt. She fell right upon Randolph whocaught her in his
arms. Janey had not ridden a hundred paces farther before she forgot all
aboutRay. I hope to goodness you didnt ride up here alone, he said. But she
knew herfather, his relentless ways, and she held her breath. But he let go of
me too quick and I stumbled.
The awkwardness of her action made Janey
moreindignant than ever.
Janey was wholly at ease again when her father joined
her in the livingroom. Endicott, dividedbetween doubt and exultation.
Whats
that got to do with kissing a girl?
Fact is, I didnt think you would, replied
Endicott, quickly. Youd never have thought of it,if I hadnt gone down and out.
Thank you, Ray, Ill say thats talking, responded Janey.
Randolph wassimply an
honest boy, very much in love, and at the mercy of hisfeelings.
My, thats a
jawbreaker, replied Janey, with a laugh. Janey remembered that he had winced
when he said it was nothing to bekissed.
She had absolutely forgotten her new
role. Not long afterward her father knocked on the door.
Dad said you had set
yourheart on discovering it. So far she was inwardly elated with the success of
her machinations. He actuallyblushed, and there leaped to his eyes a light that
made them very warmand appealing. Distances deceived her sostrangely here in
Arizona. I thought they were going to beregular fellows.
You made it without a
stop, returned Randolph, admiringly.
No need to ask you how you are feeling,
Randolph observed.
She wouldbe ten thousand times herself and everything else
she could lend herselfto. He was just thick-headed,and too much concerned about
her affairs. Certainly not, returned Janey, coldly, as she smoothed her
disheveledhair.
If therewas anything a cowboy hated more than that, Ray
declared he did not knowwhat it was. Anyone would think Id been absent a month.
But thething most permanent was the stab to her pride.
Ill be forever grateful
to you whether we win or lose.
Next morning she again delayed going into
breakfast purposely to missRandolph and her father. Mighty cool evenin,
remarked Mohave, in a voice that came clearly toJaney.
Another was to actually
be whathe feared she was or might become.
He glared at her in mingled wrath and
distress.
But youve pretended to be so self-righteous.
It stung her acutely
that she wascompelled to prove to him how really different she was.
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