"He raised his horsewhip ag'in' a woman, did he?" said one of Orlando's
ranchmen. "Ain't that a matter we got to take notice of?"
"Boys," said Orlando as he motioned them to be off, "Mrs. Mazarine can
take care of herself. You'll forget what's happened, if you want to play
up to her. If she needs you, she'll be sure to let you know."
A moment afterwards they were all on their way on the road leading to
Slow Down Ranch.
"He didn't giggle much that time," said one of the ranchmen of Orlando,
as they moved on.
CHAPTER XI
LOUISE
The Young Doctor had had a trying day. Certain of his cases had given him
anxiety; his drives had been long and fatiguing; he had had little sleep
for several nights; and he was what Patsy Kernaghan had called "brittle";
for when Patsy was in a vexed condition, he used to say, "I'm so brittle
I'll break if you look at me." As the Young Doctor drew his chair up to
the supper-table and looked at his food with a critical air, he was very
brittle.
For one born in Enniskillen he had an even nature, but its evenness was
more the result of mental control than temperament. He sighed as he
looked at the marrow bones which, as a rule, gave him joy when their turn
came in the weekly menu; he eyed askance the baked potatoes; and the
salad waiting for his skilled hand only gave him an extra feeling of
fatigue.
Most men in a like state say, "I don't know what's the matter with me,"
and yet many a one has been stimulated out of it, away from it, by the
soft voice and friendly hand of a woman.
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