"_Shorty_, you don't
mean it?"
Shorty laughed lowly. "I'm reckonin' to mean it, Miss Ruth."
"But how," she questioned, her hands still on his shoulders, her eyes
wide and questioning; "how did you happen to go to the Two Bar?"
"Well, you see, Miss Ruth," laughed the giant--while the crowd which had
followed them stood off at a little distance and watched--"it was like
this. Me an' the boys--an' your dad--had been tryin' for a long time to
ketch Singleton runnin' an iron on the Circle L cattle. Your dad an' me
had run a bunch into that gully near the Two Bar, an' tonight me an' the
boys was waitin' in the gully for your dad to bring Singleton there.
Your dad had been brandin' stolen stock--at my orders--an' tonight he
was goin' to refuse--makin' Singleton do it. For Singleton was really
doin' the rustlin'. An' your dad----"
"Was doing it all for you? Is that what you mean, Shorty?"
"Why, I reckon, Miss Ruth. You see----"
Ruth had to leap upward to do it. But somehow the height was achieved.
Two arms went around Shorty's neck and Ruth's lips were pressed against
his with a resounding smack.
"O Shorty!" she exclaimed as she hugged him tightly, after kissing him;
"I just _love_ you!"
Shorty blushed furiously. As soon as Ruth released him he grinned with
embarrassment and walked with giant strides down the street to where he
and his men had left the horses, the laughter and jibes of his fellows
following him.
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