He rides about five rods on the cayuse and then five more on
his map. Collie's sure tough. How's your mug, kid?"
"It never felt so bad as yours looks naturally," responded Collie,
puffing at a cigarette with swollen lips. "But I ain't jealous."
"Now, ain't you?" queried Williams, who had ridden silently beside him.
"Well, now, I was plumb mistook! I kind of thought you was."
CHAPTER XXIII
SILENT SAUNDERS SPEAKS
Meanwhile Collie kept a vigilant eye on Silent Saunders. The other,
somewhat sullenly but efficiently, attended to his work. Collie's
vigilance was rewarded unexpectedly and rather disagreeably.
One day, as he stood stroking Black Boyar's neck, he happened to glance
across the yard. Saunders was saddling one of the horses in the corral.
Louise, astride Boyar, spoke to Collie of some detail of the ranch work,
purposely prolonging the conversation. Something of the Collie of the
Oro barbecue had vanished. In its stead was an inexplicable but positive
quality of masterfulness, apparent in poise and manner.
Louise, because she knew him so well, was puzzled and curious. She could
not account for the change. She was frankly interested in him in spite
of, or perhaps because of, his early misfortunes.
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