"
"Two's company," said Neale, with an attempt at lightness. But it
was a pretense. Larry worried him.
"Listen. If you go back on the job--then it 'll be all right for you
to run in heah to see me once in a while. But if you throw up this
chance I'll--"
Larry paused. His ruddy tan had faded slightly.
Neale eyed him, aware of a hard and tense contraction of the
cowboy's throat.
"Well, what 'll you do?" queried Neale, shortly.
Larry threw back his head, and the subtle, fierce tensity seemed to
leave him.
"Wal, the day you come back I'll clean out Stanton's place--jest to
start entertainin' you," he replied, with his slow drawl as marked
as ever it was.
A stir of anger in Neale's breast subsided with the big, warm
realization of this wild cowboy's love for him and the melancholy
certainty that Larry would do exactly as he threatened.
"Suppose I come back and beat you all up?" suggested Neale.
"Wal, thet won't make a dam' bit of difference," replied Larry,
seriously.
Whereupon Neale soberly bade his friend good-bye and boarded the
train.
The ride appeared slow and long, dragged out by innumerable stops.
All along the line laborers awaited the train to unload supplies. At
the end of the line there was a congestion Neale had not observed
before in all the work.
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