The Sagebrusher: A Story of the West

  CHAPTER V

  BEGGAR MAN--THIEF

  They laughed like girls, each with slightly heightened color in spiteof all the make-believe. Then Annie ran to a vase of artificialflowers which stood upon the mantel, and pulled out a draggled daisy.

  "What's he going to be, Kid--your man? Is he rich or poor? Listen!'Lawyer--doctor--merchant--chief--rich man--poor man--beggarman--thief----'" She stopped in a certain consternation, the lastpetal in her hand--"A thief?----"

  "Why, Annie, you surely don't believe in such things," said Mary Warrenreprovingly. "And of course we oughtn't to have done anything foolishas this. It's--it's awful."

  Annie, her mood suddenly changing, drew apart and sat down moodily.

  "You couldn't blame a fellow for trying to forget things, Sis," saidshe. "Look at me. I'm on the street, you might say--they canned meyesterday! Yes! that's the truth. I wasn't going to tell you--youlooked so cold last night, and you with your eyes what they are.It--it looks like Charlie had a chance, eh?"

  Mary Warren looked at her for a time in silence. "You'll never have totoss a copper for a husband, I'm sure of that. If I were handsome asyou----"

  "Oh, am I?" said her companion. "Men hang around--what does it get me?Time passes. Where are we pretty soon? Men ain't all husbands thatmake love."

  "How much money you got saved up, Mary?" she asked suddenly.

  "Just one hundred thirty-five dollars and eighty cents," said Mary, notneeding to consult her pass book. "I can pay for my bond now."

  "Got me beat. Best I can do for my life savings is fifty-eight dollarsand seventy-five cents. How long will that last you and me?"

  "You're despondent, Annie--you mustn't feel blue--why, to-morrow we'llboth go out and see what we can do."

  "About me? I like that! It's _you_ we got to bother about. My Lord!It ain't so far off, this ad in _Hearts Aflame_! What you really _do_need is a man who'll be kind and chivalrous with you."

  "I haven't got to that yet," said Mary Warren, stoutly. Her color rose.

  "No? Funnier things have happened. You might do worse."

  "I'm not _bred_ that way, Annie," said Mary Warren slowly; but hercolor rising yet more as she realized that perhaps she had been cruel.

  "You needn't explain anything to me," replied Annie. "I'm not sore.You came of a better family, and so it'll be harder for you to getthrough life than it is for me."

  As she spoke she had risen, and was buttoning her street wraps. MaryWarren sat silent, the dark lenses of her glasses turned toward hercompanion.

  "Beggar man--thief!" she said at last. "I'd be robbing him, eventhen!" She smiled bitterly. "Who'd take _me_?"