To my friendly salutation, she gave me a scornful, withering
look.
"You're too late, young man," she said. "Shortly after you left last
night, Esther and Jack Oxenford took a private conveyance for Beeville,
and are married before this. You Las Palomas people are slow. Old Lance
Lovelace thought he was playing it cute San Jacinto Day, but I
saw through his little game. Somebody must have told him he was a
matchmaker. Well, just give him my regards, and tell him he don't know
the first principles of that little game. Tell him to drop in some time
when he's passing; I may be able to give him some pointers that I'm not
using at the moment. I hope your sorrow will not exceed my happiness.
Good-morning, sir."
CHAPTER X
AFTERMATH
My memory of what happened immediately after Mrs. Martin's contemptuous
treatment of me is as vague and indefinite as the vaporings of a fevered
dream. I have a faint recollection of several friendly people offering
their sympathy. The old stableman, who looked after the horses,
cautioned me not to start out alone; but I have since learned that I
cursed him and all the rest, and rode away as one in a trance. But I
must have had some little caution left, for I remember giving Shepherd's
a wide berth, passing several miles to the south.
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