Never having seen this
before in the eyes of any man who looked at her, she referred it to some
vague "larking" or jocularity, for which she was in no mood.
"Say, Libby! you're gettin' to be a right smart-lookin' gal. Seems to
agree with ye up here," said Hoskins with an awkward laugh. "Darned ef
ye ain't lookin' awful purty!"
"G'long!" said Liberty Jones, more than ever convinced of his badinage.
"Fact," said Hoskins energetically. "Why, Doc would tell ye so, too. See
ef he don't!"
At this Liberty Jones felt her face grow hot. "You jess get!" she said,
turning away in as much embarrassment as anger. Yet he hovered near
her with awkward attentions that pleased while it still angered her.
He offered to go with her to look up the cows; she flatly declined, yet
with a strange satisfaction in his evident embarrassment. This may have
lent some animation to her face, for he drew a long breath and said:--
"Don't go pertendin' ye don't know yer purty. Say, let me and you walk
a bit and have a talk together.
Pages:
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282