They wouldn't imagine YOU was enjoying of yourself,not if they was feeding their eyes on you every day.But I'm awful bothered about Lahoma.I tell you,it ain't right to keep her shut up as in a cage.Can't you see she's pining for high society such as I ain't got it in me to supply,and you are too cussed obstinate to display?
I guess that's so.Bill drew himself stiffly up by the tree above--they were ascending the wooded gully that extended from base to mountain-top.
Well,what's the hurry?She's only seventeen years old.
Yes,she was only seventeen years old,two years ago;but she's nineteen,now.
Bill Atkins sank upon a rock at the foot of a bristling cedar.Nineteen!Who,LAHOMA?Then where've I been all the time?
You've been a-traveling along at a pretty fast clip toward your last days,that's where you've been.Just look at yourself!Ain't you always careful in making your steps as if scared of breaking something?And now,you're out of breath!
It was knocked out by the thought of her being so old--but I guess you're right.Well,I wouldn't call her life caged-up.The settlers have been moving in pretty steadily,and she has friends amongst all the families where there's women-folks.She has her own pony,and is gone more than suits me;and although there's no young man disposable,we ain't fretting about that,nor her neither.
I used to think she might be foolish about Wilfred Compton--but Lahoma,she ain't foolish about nothing.Nevertheless,Bill,it ain't right.
Settlers is settlers,and what she yearns for is the big world.I would long since of took her out to see it,but dassn't from a liability to be catched up for divers deeds that was unlawfully charged to me in times past.You could have guided her along the city trails,but was too cussed obstinate.
She's your cousin,retorted Bill,and it wasn't for me to act her guardian.Besides,did you want to lose her?You couldn't take Lahoma where she'd be seen and known,and expect to get her back again.Maybe it isn't exactly fair to keep her boarded up--but the times are changing all that,and sorry am I to see it.Do you know,Brick,I once thought you and me and Lahoma could just live here in the cove till time was no more,reading our books,and smoking our pipes,and taking peaceful morning trips like this--to see whether we'd caught a coyote in our traps,or a bobcat,or a skunk.
Yes,that's all right for us;but Lahoma ain't smoking no pipe,nor is her interest in skunks such as ours.
