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She wished to study him under new conditions, and possibly to talk with him even more frankly than ever yet, for there would be opportunity enough. About six o'clock a train coming from the south stopped at the station, which was visible from Rhoda's sitting-room window. She had been waiting for this moment.
The corners of Rhoda's mouth drooped, her large soft cheeks shook; yet she stood firm, her sorrow tempered, and her whole warm-hearted person rendered stubborn, by virtuous indignation. "You forget yourself greatly, Serena," she said, "and when you have time to think it over will repent having passed such cruel remarks.
At the sight of the paling face the young man murmured, "You dear!" under his breath. Then aloud, "Not if I were your husband." "How can I marry a savage?" cried Rhoda. Kut-le put his hand under the cleft chin and lifted the sweet face till it looked directly into his. His gaze was very deep and clear. "Am I nothing but a naked savage, Rhoda?" he said. "Am I?" Rhoda's eyes did not leave his.
While she was turning several over in her mind, Kut-le went into the house and returned with a glass of milk. "I wish you'd drink this," he said. Rhoda's brows still were arched haughtily. "No, thank you," she said frigidly; "I don't wish you to undertake the care of my health." Kut-le made no reply but held the glass steadily before her. Involuntarily, Rhoda looked up.
Many causes contributed to this effect; he was still all bruised and bleeding from the blow dealt to him by Rhoda's strong young arm; an epidemic had kept him on his legs all day and a great part of the night; his time had never been so valuable, and he had been obliged to waste ten minutes of it contemplating the furniture in that detestable drawing-room.
One bitter lesson the desert was teaching him: haste in the hot country spells ruin! So, though Rhoda's voice still rang in his ears, though the sight of the slender boyish figure struggling in Kut-le's arms still ravished his eyes, he worked carefully. The ascent was all but impossible.
'What do I care? So is public opinion against you. 'Very well. Do as you like. Miss Barfoot and I will come to the police court and give strong evidence in your favour. 'Now there's a woman! exclaimed Everard, not all in jest, for Rhoda's appearance had made his nerves thrill and his pulse beat. 'Look at her, Mary. Do you wonder that I would walk the diameter of the globe to win her love?
"I do," said the farmer, feeling seriously at the button over it. "All right; I shan't ask ye to show it in the street," Anthony rejoined, and smote Rhoda's hand as it hung. "Glad to see your old uncle are ye?" Rhoda replied quietly that she was, but had come with the principal object of seeing her sister. "There!" cried Anthony, "you never get a compliment out of this gal.
"My lawsy!" ejaculated Rhoda's father, "seems to me most of you fellers ain't fitted to take care of a saw horse, let alone a sure enough pony. Some of you will have to ride mules if you don't stop ruinin' my horseflesh." "Wal, Tumbleweed is right fidgety," complained the cowboy. "What do you want to ride somethin' broke to a side-saddle?" demanded the ranchman in disgust.
He was determined to find out at once how much Mr. Harding knew about Rhoda's father and mother. "My aunt and I were talking about you yesterday, Mr. Harding, but we had no idea that you were in England." Mr. Harding turned his keen black eyes upon him. "No, I only landed last week." "My aunt has some reason to believe that Miss Sampson is related to her," Tom hurried on.
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