The latter, wise in her years, turned her
head on one side and appeared to be debating.
"Seems to me, Sary, that putting on that organdy just as it is, without
fixing it over a bit, may make Jeb suspicious of its not being made for
you. He may even go so far as to wonder if Bob handed it down to you.
Now you do not want him to dream that you did not have it made to order
for yourself, so why not take it off until you can remodel it to fit
yourself, like new?"
Sary pondered this suggestion for a few moments, and then said: "Ah
ain't got no fancy dress to wear, onny this, Miss Nolla. Ef Ah puts on
my black alpaky, he'll remember 'bout Bill, and sech memories allus
dampen a man's plans to pop th' question."
Both girls had to laugh outright at the unexpected confession; but Sary
was in a serious frame of mind and paid no attention to their
merriment. She resumed her interrupted explanation.
"It's jest this way, in Oak Crick country, you-all see! Single men
ain't growin' on every bush, and a widder has a hard time of it,
anyway, when most ranchers' dawters are waitin' to snap up a likely
catch. Jeb's a catch, Ah says. He ain't a gallavantin' dude, ner he
ain't spendin' all his wages on gamblin' at Red Mike's saloon. Ah've
learned like-as-how being right on th' spot when a man's willin' to be
cotched, is more'n half the fight to hook him. Ah kin afford to snap
mah fingers at all them ranch gals about Oak Crick, tryin' their bestes
to make Jeb wink his eye at 'em, jus' because Ah _am_ whar Ah am
keepin' tabs on him, all his time.
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