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Page 94
"Well you ought to be," laughed Polly. "Just see what you are
gettin'."
"I've got to chase myself back to the house. You're ridin' night
herd to-night, ain't you?" she added.
"Yes. I'm on the cocktail to-night. I am goin' to bunk down
here. I'll be up to the house at sunup, and we can go over to
Florence together."
"I'll have breakfast ready for you. Rope my pony for me, will
you?"
Bud was smiling and happy again. All of his troubles were
forgotten. "All right!" he cried, as he started to mount.
"Say, you're awful forgetful, aren't you?" asked Polly demurely.
Bud looked about him slightly bewildered. Then he realized his
oversight. He ran to Polly's and tried to kiss her, but she
motioned him aside, saying: "Too late--you lose."
"But I didn't know," stammered Bud.
"Next time you'll know. On your way," airily commanded the girl.
Bud's face darkened. "Oh, well, good-by."
Polly looked after him perplexed and angry. His surrender to her
whims without a fight nettled her.
"Good-by, yourself," she snapped. "He's the most forgetful man I
ever loved. If I thought he was a gamblin'-man, I'd get a
divorce from him before I married him. I would sure," murmured
Polly, as Bud disappeared toward the corral.
Polly's musing was interrupted by the return of Buck McKee.
"Is Bud Lane over yere?" he asked.
"You must have passed him just now. He's just got in from
night-herdin'."
"I thought I seed him comin' this way. When's the weddin'-bells
goin' to ring?"
Polly flushed. "Next month. Then you'll lose Bud's company fer
good," she answered defiantly.
"Well, I ain't been doin' him much good," Buck assented. "I'm
goin' back home, though."
Polly gazed at Buck in surprise. Here was a new view of the man;
one she had never considered. It was strange to hear this outlaw
and bad man talk of a home. The repetition of the word "home" by
Polly, led him to continue:
"Yep. Up to the Strip, where I was borned at. This yere
climate's a leetle too dry to suit me. I'm goin' to get a leetle
ranch and a leetle gal, an' settle down for sure."
"I wish you may," said Polly heartily. "You sure acted mighty
fine about that Peruna insultin' Mrs. Payson."
Harshly as Polly had felt toward Buck, his actions in the recent
incidents had softened her feelings toward him.
"I admire to hear you say it," said Buck, bowing. "I've played
square with women all my life. I ain't never slipped a card nor
rung in a cold deck on any one of 'em yet."
Buck sat down on the step of the wagon. He hesitated for a
moment, and then asked: "Say, did you ever have a premonition?"
"Nope! The worst I ever had was the hookin'-cough."
Buck smiled, but did not explain to Polly the meaning of the
word.
"Well, this premonition," he continued, "hits me hard, an' that's
what makes me start for home. Thought I'd like to say good-by to
you an' Bud. I go north with the big drive in the mornin', an'
won't see you ag'in."
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