men started for this place with the corn. He was turned back by strange riders. And the next day the Cheyennes demanded beef from our trail herd. Itâs the first time itâs ever happened to us. Dad, being a beef contractor for the Indians and the army, has always been allowed to pass his herds through without paying beef.â She leaned back. âNow do you see? It was a warning, a pretty plain one.â
âCorb?â Frank asked.
Luvie nodded.
Frank was about to say something, and then he checked himself. He stood up. âWell, thatâs that. Youâll stay and eat, wonât you?â
Luvie said quietly, âYou think Dadâs a coward, donât you, Frank?â
âI never said so.â
âBut you look like you did,â Luvie said resentfully. âItâs easy for a stranger, an ignorant stranger, to condemn us. But weâve got our own way of living.â
âSure you have,â Frank said, not wanting to argue.
âThen donât look that way!â Luvie said.
Frank stared at her. âWhat way?â
âThe way you looked when I talked to you in the feed office yesterday! The way you looked at me when you talked to Dad! The way youâre looking now! I donât like being sneered at!â
âI didnât sneer,â Frank said. âBut maybe youâre lookinâ for sneers because way inside you might think you deserve âem.â
Luvie came to her feet, eyes flashing. âFor what?â
Frank shrugged. âI dunno. Youâre the one that thinks Iâm sneering.â
âYou are,â Luvie said. âYou think Dadâs a coward, donât you?â
An anger which had never been far from the surface these last few days again bobbed up, and Frank said just as recklessly. âNow you pin me down, Iâll tell you. I wouldnât call him a coward. He just likes to take things lyinâ down. I donât.â
âYouâre a grateful person,â Luvie said scornfully.
âGrateful for what?â Frank said. âA promise? Thanks, and thanks again, if thatâs what you want. It was a nice promise, that load of corn. I almost believed it!â
Luvieâs hands were fisted at her sides. She took a deep breath and exhaled it. âI hope you do get run off here, Frank Christian! And you will! My dad has a good business and heâs at peace with everyone. But in a foolish moment he went against his better judgment andââ
âYour better judgment, wasnât it?â
Luvie stamped her foot. âLet me finish! He did a foolish thing, and now you think heâs a coward because he wonât risk his whole business to help you. Well, youâll find nobody likes to help a fool! Most of us here on this reservation canât talk as fool brave as you can. We donât even try to, because we know we canât back it up! And neither can you!â
She brushed past Frank, and he watched her walk to her horse. Her back was as straight as a gun barrel and somehow conveyed the outrage she felt. She mounted and rode off the place. Frank looked at the house. Otey was standing in the doorway, his glance accusing.
So he talked brave but he couldnât back it up, she thought. In other words, he was a Texas loudmouth, the kind of man he hated more than any kind alive. Luvie Barnes couldnât tell the difference between a braggart and a man who meant what he said.
Frank saw Red in the wagon shed. The chuck wagon was up on blocks and had two wheels off.
Still smarting under the memory of Luvieâs words, Frank walked over to Red.
âRed, you know where Scott Corb hangs out?â
Red looked up, mild surprise on his face. âSure. Why?â
âYou donât want to pay a call there with me tonight, do you?â
âWhy donât I?â
Frank looked down the slope. Luvie was almost at the creek.
âNobody likes to help a fool,â Frank
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