His mouth had again the stubborn look
which Dade knew so well, and dreaded also.
"I am sorry for this unpleasantness," he said perfunctorily, stopping
before Don Andres. "But as I told the senora, I have done all that I can
do. I have named riatas. I don't think even you, Don Andres, could ask
more of me. Surely you wouldn't want to know that your roof had
sheltered a coward?"
Don Andres waved away the challenge which the question carried. "Still,
it seems a pity that my family must be made the subject of gossip
because of the foolishness of two young men," he said doggedly,
returning to his argument. "They will say that it is because of my
daughter that you fight; and the friendship of years must be set aside
while two hot-heads vent their silly spite--"
"It need not." Jack's head went up an inch. "I can leave your employ,
Don Andres, at any moment. There is no need for you to be caught between
the duties of hospitality and those of friendship. I can do anything--I
am willing to do anything--except crawl into a hole, as Dade wrote for
me to do." A fine, spirited picture he made, standing there with the
flames of wrath in his eyes and with neck stiff and his jaws set hard
together.
Don Andres looked up at him with secret approval. He did not love a
coward, and truly, this young fellow was brave. And Jose had
deliberately sought the quarrel from the first; justice compelled him to
remember that.
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