Next day, late in the afternoon, when Carley came out on the porch, she
was hailed by Flo, who had just ridden in from down the canyon.
"Hey Carley, come down. I shore have something to tell you," she called.
Carley did not use any time pattering down that rude porch stairway.
Flo was dusty and hot, and her chaps carried the unmistakable scent of
sheep-dip.
"Been over to Ryan's camp an' shore rode hard to beat Glenn home,"
drawled Flo.
"Why?" queried Carley, eagerly.
"Reckon I wanted to tell you something Glenn swore he wouldn't let me
tell. ... He makes me tired. He thinks you can't stand things."
"Oh! Has he been--hurt?"
"He's skinned an' bruised up some, but I reckon he's not hurt."
"Flo--what happened?" demanded Carley, anxiously.
"Carley, do you know Glenn can fight like the devil?" asked Flo.
"No, I don't. But I remember he used to be athletic. Flo, you make me
nervous. Did Glenn fight?"
"I reckon he did," drawled Flo.
"With whom?"
"Nobody else but that big hombre, Haze Ruff."
"Oh!" gasped Carley, with a violent start. "That--that ruffian! Flo, did
you see--were you there?"
"I shore was, an' next to a horse race I like a fight," replied the
Western girl. "Carley, why didn't you tell me Haze Ruff insulted you
last night?"
"Why, Flo--he only said, 'Hello, pretty eyes,' and I let it pass!" said
Carley, lamely.
"You never want to let anything pass, out West. Because next time you'll
get worse. This turn your other cheek doesn't go in Arizona. But
we shore thought Ruff said worse than that. Though from him that's
aplenty."
"How did you know?"
"Well, Charley told it. He was standing out here by the door last night
an' he heard Ruff speak to you. Charley thinks a heap of you an' I
reckon he hates Ruff. Besides, Charley stretches things. He shore riled
Glenn, an' I want to say, my dear, you missed the best thing that's
happened since you got here."
"Hurry--tell me," begged Carley, feeling the blood come to her face.
"I rode over to Ryan's place for dad, an' when I got there I knew
nothing about what Ruff said to you," began Flo, and she took hold of
Carley's hand. "Neither did dad. You see, Glenn hadn't got there yet.
Well, just as the men had finished dipping a bunch of sheep Glenn came
riding down, lickety cut."