She had apparently inspected the lines on the Frio,
and, finding everything favorable, turned to other fields. I was
disappointed, for Esther and I had planned to go up to the Vaux ranch
during the visit. Dan suggested that we ride home together by way of the
Vauxes'. But Quayle bitterly refused even to go near the ranch. He felt
very sore and revengeful over being jilted by Frances after she had let
him crown her Queen of the ball at the tournament dance. So, agreeing
to meet on the divide the next day for the ride back to Las Palomas, we
parted.
The next afternoon, on reaching the divide between the Frio and the home
river, Theodore and I scanned the horizon in vain for any horsemen. We
dismounted, and after waiting nearly an hour, descried two specks to the
northward which we knew must be our men. On coming up they also threw
themselves on the ground, and we indulged in a cigarette while we
compared notes. I had nothing to conceal, and frankly confessed that
Esther and I expected to marry during the latter part of May. Cotton,
though, seemed reticent, and though Theodore cross-questioned him
rather severely, was non-committal and dumb as an oyster; but before we
recrossed the Nueces that evening, John and I having fallen far to the
rear of the other two, he admitted to me that his wedding would occur
within a month after Lent.
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