Desert Gold by Zane Grey Page B

stick up for him?”
    â€œBut, Tom—he’ll fall in love with Nell!” protested Mrs. Belding.
    â€œWell, wouldn’t that be regular? Doesn’t every man who comes along fall in love with Nell? Hasn’t it always happened? When she was a schoolgirl in Kansas didn’t it happen? Didn’t she have a hundred moon-eyed ninnies after her in Texas? I’ve had some peace out here in the desert, except when a Greaser or a prospector or a Yaqui would come along. Then same old story—in love with Nell!”
    â€œBut, Tom, Nell might fall in love with this young man!” exclaimed the wife, in distress.
    â€œLaddy, Jim, didn’t I tell you?” cried Belding. “I knew she’d say that…. My dear wife, I would be simply overcome with joy if Nell did fall in love once. Real good and hard! She’s wilder than any antelope out there on the desert. Nell’s nearly twenty now, and so far as we know she’s never cared a rap for any fellow. And she’s just as gay and full of the devil as she was at fourteen. Nell’s as good and lovable as she is pretty, but I’m afraid she’ll never grow into a woman while we live out in this lonely land. And you’ve always hated towns where there was a chance for the girl—just because you were afraid she’d fall in love. You’ve always been strange, even silly, about that. I’ve done my best for Nell—loved her as if she were my own daughter. I’ve changed many business plans to suit your whims. There are rough times ahead, maybe. I need men. I’ll hire this chap Gale if he’ll stay. Let Nell take her chance with him, just as she’ll have to take chances with men when we get out of the desert. She’ll be all the better for it.”
    â€œI hope Laddy’s not mistaken in his opinion of this newcomer,” replied Mrs. Belding, with a sigh of resignation.
    â€œShore I never made a mistake in my life figger’n’ people,” said Laddy, stoutly.
    â€œYes, you have, Laddy,” replied Mrs. Belding. “You’re wrong about Tom…. Well, supper is to be got. That young man and the girl will be starved. I’ll go in now. If Nell happens around don’t—don’t flatter her, Laddy, like you did at dinner. Don’t make her think of her looks.”
    Dick heard Mrs. Belding walk away.
    â€œShore she’s powerful particular about that girl,” observed Laddy. “Say, Tom, Nell knows she’s pretty, doesn’t she?”
    â€œShe’s liable to find it out unless you shut up, Laddy. When you visited us out here some weeks ago, you kept paying cowboy compliments to her.”
    â€œAn’ it’s your idee that cowboy compliments are plumb bad for girls?”
    â€œDownright bad, Laddy, so my wife says.”
    â€œI’ll be darned if I believe any girl can be hurt by a little sweet talk. It pleases ’em…. But say, Beldin’, speaking of looks, have you got a peek yet at the Spanish girl?”
    â€œNot in the light.”
    â€œWell, neither have I in daytime. I had enough by moonlight. Nell is some on looks, but I’m regretful passin’ the ribbon to the lady from Mex. Jim, where are you?”
    â€œMy money’s on Nell,” replied Lash. “Gimme a girl with flesh an’ color, an’ blue eyes a-laughin’. Miss Castañeda is some peach, I’ll not gainsay. But her face seemed too white. An’ when she flashed those eyes on me, I thought I was shot! When she stood up there at first, thankin’ us, I felt as if a—a princess was round somewhere. Now, Nell is kiddish an’ sweet an’—”
    â€œChop it,” interrupted Belding. “Here comes Nell now.”
    Dick’s tingling ears took in the pattering of light footsteps, the rush of some one running.
    â€œHere you are,” cried a sweet, happy voice. “Dad, the Señorita is