Mrs. Wilson Woodrow

“ That Mrs. Nitschkan, in spite of her views, delivered the message, was evidenced by the fact that the following afternoon Bob Flick might have been seen slowly climbing the south trail of Excelsior Mountain. At last, after keen glances to the right and left, he paused, and, drawing a large handkerchief of checkered silk from his pocket, slowly wiped his brow. He was a tall fellow, with the pale, impassive face of the professional gambler. ”

“ Understand, once and fer all, no."
They laughed, and he pulled her sun-burned head to his breast and kissed the purple bruise on her brow.
"Crazy!" She still laughed, and dragged at his hand. "Come on in an' eat your supper."
"Crazy's the word," philosophized Mrs. Nitschkan, shaking her head doubtfully as she walked on. "Seems to me like the Pearl's possessed. She sure acts like she's wild about Shock, an' yet she's a-sendin' word to Bob Flick to meet her to-morrow afternoon. That's what comes of bein' a hussy." ”

“ Well, let me tell you, once an' fer all, that you don't. You think I'd stay with any man I didn't want to? Why, all hell couldn't hold me. Ask some of the boys that knew me down in the desert. They'd laugh in your face. They know I'd knife him without countin' one, two, three. Oh, you—you tramp woman. You know a lot about huntin' and fishin', but you know a mighty little about women—you ain't never been one."
"Now, Pearl, there ain't no occasion to spit like a cat," returned Mrs. Nitschkan, unmoved by these taunts. ”

“ Nitschkan, with indubitable reason and practicality.
"I d' know," with a slight shrug of the shoulders. "I always been used to the boys. They know, an' I know, that I wouldn't look at one of 'em now. But Shock, the big fool, he don't know nothin'; an' Lord, but he's jealous!"
"Jealous! Catsfoot!" replied Mrs. Nitschkan with sturdy scorn. "I'd like to see any man kick an' cuff me about as he pleases, that's what I'd like to see; an' you always a-yellin' about bein' free."
There were tiny flickers of fire in Mrs. O'Brien's eyes. ”

“ They's always plenty of men to go crazy about you, Pearl, to lie an' steal and kill each other fer you, an' make damned fools of theirselves generally. There's a plenty that likes to show off thataway; but there's only two or three in all your life that'll ever really bve you, an' one of 'em's me."
He turned to meet her faintly astonished, cynical gaze. ”

“ Nitschkan. "Why, Shock give me that three or four days ago."
The mountain woman surveyed her for a moment in silence and with a tolerant and dispassionate curiosity. "Why can't you leave the boys alone. Pearl?" she asked finally. "There ain't none of 'em here nor anywheres else that's worth standin' a lickin' fer." ”

“ O'Brien indifferently, but with perfect acquiescence. "But say, Mis' Nitschkan, I wasn't doin' a thing. Just standin' here at the gate, talkin' to Bob Flick, when Shock come down the road. Well, I wisht you'd 'a' seen him!" The reminiscent coquetry of her smile brightened her weary eyes. "That French-Irish face of his'n was blacker'n a cloud, an' his eyes was a-blazin' fire. We had it hot an' heavy about all night. Shock, you know him! He can't bear to see another man so much as look at me."
"Then what you always a-teasin' him fer, Pearl?" asked Mrs. ”