As it was Jeff stared incredulously and
speechless, and the girl went on:
"You think I'm wrong," she said. "Maybe you think I'm crazy, same as I
guess this thing's made you feel." She shook her head. "I'm
not--sure. Take us here. Maybe I'm chasing around through the hills.
Chance runs me plumb into the camp of these rustlers who're cutting
into your profits on the Obar. I come right in and hand you the story.
You and Bud round up a bunch of boys and I take you to where the camp's
hidden. You hold 'em up, and you hang them. Well, I guess the
pleasantest moment of that racket for you would be to get back to home
and hand me a bunch of dollars. Say, I can see you doing it. I can
see your smile. I can hear you sayin': 'Take 'em, little Nan, an' buy
yourself some swell fixing.' And say, Jeff, I wouldn't have done a
thing less than your Evie's done. That's how I'd say now, acting as
you are, you aren't the 'Honest Jeff' I've always known. You're not
fair to Evie, you aren't just--before God."
The man made a gesture of fierce impatience.
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