"
Miss Cahill flashed a dazzling smile at the big sergeant, and
whispered, so that the officer in the room behind her might not
overhear, "Is he trying to sell you Government property, dad? Don't
you touch it. Sergeant, I'm surprised at you tempting my poor
father." She pulled the two buffalo-robes close around her neck so
that her face only showed between them. It was a sweet, lovely face,
with frank, boyish eyes.
"When the major's gone, sergeant," she whispered, "bring your gun
around my side of the store and I'll buy it from you."
The sergeant nodded in violent assent, laughing noiselessly and
slapping his knee in a perfect ecstasy of delight.
The curtains dropped and the face disappeared.
The sergeant fingered the gun and Cahill folded his arms defiantly.
"Well?" he said.
"Well?" asked the sergeant.
"I should think you could see how it is," said Cahill, "without my
having to tell you."
"You mean you don't want she should know?"
"My God, no! Not even that I kept a bar."
"Well, I don't know nothing. I don't mean to tell nothing, anyway, so
if you'll promise to be good I'll call this off."
For the first time in the history of Fort Crockett, Cahill was seen
to smile.
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