Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Indians of North America -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Self-sacrifice -- Fiction
Henry was lost to them in the crowd around the faro-table. Several
other passengers from the train had joined him. Sir John really did not
like the look of the place; at the moment he caught Pete’s eyes fastened
in amusement on him. He drew Diana to one corner, and as he did so they
came within range of Jim’s sight. He was coming in to join Shorty and
explain what he and Bill had decided to do when Cash returned. As he
saw Diana he involuntarily drew back. It was only one of the old
tormenting visions that had returned, he thought. He drew his hands
over his eyes—but no, he saw her again! Impossible! He leaned
forward—it was Di, and in Maverick! In spite of the sudden pain and
bewilderment he smiled as he realized how the unexpected played its part
in life. Di in Maverick!
There was no time to reason it out. He could not see Henry, only Sir
John. He saw Diana watching with curiosity the place and its occupants.
He mingled quickly with the crowd at the bar, hoping they would leave
shortly.
Sir John was continuing his tirade against the ranchmen, and vainly
trying to persuade Diana to return to the car. She was examining some
crude pictures on the walls.
"When they wish," Sir John said, "these fellows shoot out the lights,
the windows, and the bar furnishings. They are very whimsical—that’s
the American humor that they talk so much about. I don’t care for
whimsies myself." Diana began to laugh. Really, she was thinking, she
had never known how absurd and old-womanish Sir John could be. But he
continued: "Then, if you don’t see fit to respond to their silly gayety,
they kill you, by Jove! that’s all. I can’t see the joke of it, you
know. For example, one of them comes in here and invites us all,
believe me, to drink with him. It’s not the proper thing to reply,
’Thanks awfully, old chap, but I’m not thirsty,’ or ’I’ve just had a
drink,’ or ’Excuse me, won’t you,’ because if you say that, he’s very
angry, don’t you know. You have offered him a deadly insult; he does
not know you, never saw you before, hopes never to see you again, and
yet if you do not drink something which you do not want he kills you.
That’s deliciously whimsical now, isn’t it?"
"Cousin John, if I didn’t know your reputation as a soldier, I’d think
you were afraid." Diana, followed by Sir John, moved nearer the corner
where Jim was standing.
Jim could see the sweet beauty of her face. He felt a sudden dizziness.
It was more than he could endure. He started to leave, when he felt
Bill’s hand on his shoulder.
"This place is too stuffy for me; I must get out into the air," he
explained.
"Leave the saloon now, Jim!" Bill exclaimed, in amazement. Surely Jim
was not weakening. "If you ain’t here to face Cash Hawkins when he
comes back you lose your standing among the people with whom you live.
You ain’t agoin’ to do that, are you, boy?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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