Lost Pueblo (1992) Read Free Page A

cigarette?"
    Ray merely stared.
    "Please, handsome boy! Just one little cigarette."
    "Ain't got nothin' but the makin's," he finally ejaculated.
    "Thanks. That'll do," replied Janey, receiving the little tobacco pouch he handed her.
    It fascinated Ray to see Janey roll her own. He was so absorbed that he failed to note the entrance of a fourth cowboy, who was burdened with hatboxes and more grips. He was the handsomest of the lot. With his fine intent eyes straight ahead, not noticing Janey, he crossed the room and went into the hallway. Janey had watched him pass in a surprise that grew into pique. He had never looked once at her. He would have to pay for that slight.
    "Wal! Yore shore some pert little dogie," remarked Ray, lighting a match for her.
    "Dogie!... Say, Mr. Cowboy, explain what you mean!"
    "A dogie is a calf or a colt that ain't got no mother."
    "Where did you learn anything about me?" asked Janey, a bit wary.
    "Shore any kid with a ma couldn't ever roll a cigarette an' smoke it like you do."
    "Indeed! Ray, are you a desert preacher?" queried Janey, distantly.
    "Sorry, Miss. Shore didn't mean to hurt yore feelin's. But it kind of got me--seein' you smoke like thet. Yore so damn--'scuse me, I mean yore so shore pretty that it goes agin my grain to see you up to dance-hall tricks."
    "You don't like women to smoke?" returned Janey, curiously.
    "Perticular, I don't like to see you smokin'."
    "Then I won't," decided Janey, and walking to the fireplace she threw the cigarette down.
    "Jes--jes 'cause I don't like you to smoke?" ejaculated Ray, rapturously.
    "Jes 'cause you don't like me to."
    "An' you'll forgive me fer talkin' like I did?"
    "Surely."
    "I'm askin' you to prove thet."
    "How?"
    "Go ridin' with me tomorrow," suggested Ray, breathlessly. "You can ride my pet hoss. He's shore gentle. You don't wanna ride any of these hombres, horses. You might get throwed an' hurt. They're shore mean."
    "I'd love to go with you," responded Janey, dreamily.
    At this moment the handsome cowboy returned, and was again crossing the room, straight-eyed and hurried, when Ray hailed him. "Rustle now, you cowboy. Fetch them bags in."
    Janey had taken a few steps forward. The cowboy glided round the table to avoid encountering her, and then bolted out of the room.
    "Well, I never!" exclaimed Janey. "You'd think I was Medusa. He didn't see me... He simply didn't see me!... Who is he?"
    "Thet's Zoroaster. Mormon cowpuncher. Fine fellar, but awful scared of women. Ain't never seen any but Mormon girls. He'll never look at you!"
    "Oh, he won't!" replied Janey, with a threat in her voice.
    "Shore not. An' don't you ever talk to him. He'd like as not drop dead. Last year a girl from the East asked him to dance, an' he run right out of the hall. Didn't show up for a week."
    "It's an awful chance to take, but that boy needs reforming," declared Janey. Ray stared at her a moment before he took to his defense--"Wal, for Gawd's sake!"
    Mohave came in with a sly grin on his ruddy face.
    "Ray, Mr. Bennet is askin' fer you," he said.
    "Where?" asked Ray, in both doubt and disgust.
    "He's gone out to the post and wants you pronto."
    Ray went out grumbling and Mohave approached Janey with evident profound satisfaction.
    "Looks like you're goin' to be as popular as stickin' paper with flies," he said, meaningly.
    "Mohave, after flies take to flypaper they struggle to get away. That's not a pretty compliment."
    "Say! Did you know you called me Mohave?" he asked, in amazement.
    Janey feigned surprise. "Did I?"
    Then she was electrified at the entrance of still another cowboy.
    "S-s-scuse me, f-f-folks, w-w-w-where's Ray?"
    "Tay-Tay, he's gone to the post an' I wish you wouldn't."
    "Like h-h-hell he has," interrupted Tay-Tay.
    "Bennet is lookin' fer him."
    "L-l-last I saw of Bennet he was runnin' the car in the shed."
    "Good. Then he won't be right back an' Ray'll have to find him."
    Janey stood fascinated by Tay-Tay's struggle with words.
    "B-b-b-bad