"Th’ boys are a little wild tonight," he said, smiling evilly. "They’ve got so much dust that they’re bustin’ loose to paint th’ old town proper. There ain’t nothin’ to be scared about." "But Jerry: my brother!" she exclaimed fearfully. "He’s alone in the office!" "No, he ain’t ma’am," replied Henry with an air meant to reassure her. "I got four good boys, deputized by th’ marshal, watchin’ th’ station in case some fool gets notions. Jones, hisself, is settin’ on a bench outside, an’ you know what _that_ means. I allus look after my friends, ma’am." He smiled again. "’Specially them that are goin’ to be real close to me. That’s why I’m here--to look after you now--now, an’ all th’ time, now an’ forever. Just see what I brought you--sent all th’ way to St. Louie for ’em, an’ shore got th’ very best there was. Why," he chuckled, going to the table, and so engrossed in his packages that he did not see the look of revulsion on her face, a look rapidly turning to a burning shame and anger. "These here gloves, now--they cost me six dollars. An’ lookit this Cashmere shawl--you’d think I was lyin’ if I told you what that cost. I told th’ boys you’d show ’em off handsome an’ proper. Put ’em on and let’s see how they look on you." He held the gifts out, looking up at her, surprised by her silence, her lack of pleased exclamations, and paused, dumbfounded at her expression. Mortification yielded place to shame and fear; shame and fear to anger with only a trace of fear, and then rage swept all else before it. The colors playing in her cheeks fled and left them white, her lips were thin as knife blades and her eyes blazed like crucibles of molten metal. She struck wildly at the presents, sending them across the room and raised her hand to strike him. Never in all her life had she been so furious. "Why--what’s th’ matter?" he asked, not believing his senses. He put out a hand to pacify her. It touched her arm and turned her into a fury, her nails scoring it deeply as she struck it away. "What’s th’ matter with you?" he demanded angrily, looking up from his bleeding hand. "Oh!" he sneered, his face working with anger. "That’s it, huh? All right, d--n you! I’ll cussed soon show you who’s boss!" he gritted, moving slowly forward. "If you won’t come willin’ly, you’ll come unwillin’ly! Puttin’ on airs like you was too good for me, huh? I’ll bust yore spirit like you was a hoss!" She flung a quivering arm toward the door, but he pressed forward and backed her into a corner, from where she struck at him again and again, and then felt his arms about her as he wrestled with her. Her strength amazed him and he broke loose to get a more punishing hold. "Ike!" he shouted. "George! Hurry up: she’s worse’n a wildcat!"