the Drift Fence (1992) Read Online Free
Author: Zane Grey
concerned it can be lived down."
"But, Mrs. See--I'd have to stick to dad an' Arch," said Molly, suddenly confronted with a lamentable fact.
"Shore. In a way you've got to. I wouldn't think much of anyone who couldn't stand by her own kin."
Not until afternoon on the ride out to the fair-grounds did Molly quite forget Jim Traft's look and the ignominy of the Dunns. But once arrived there she quite lost her own identity. This girl in blue at whom everybody stared was some other person. Crowdsof people, girls in gay apparel, cowboys in full regalia, Indians in picturesque attire, horses, horses, horses, and prize cattle, and every kind of a vehicle Molly had ever heard of, appeared to move before her eyes.
Quite by magic, it seemed, she found herself separated from the smiling Mrs. See and conducted to a gaily decorated booth. There she was introduced to a girl about her own age, with whom she was to share the fascinating work of serving the public with sandwiches and coffee.
Fortunately for Molly, her partner was nice and friendly, and certainly gave no indication that she had ever heard of the Dunns of West Fork.
Under her amiable instruction Molly, who was nothing if not expert at waiting at table, acquitted herself creditably. But she could not get used to the marvellous gown she had on, and was in a panic for fear she might get a stain upon it. She did not, however, have so much work that she could not see what was going on, and presently she was having a perfectly wonderful time.
Once she served three cowboys. They were hardly a new species to Molly.
Nevertheless, she had not seen such brilliant scarves and fancy belts.
She noticed, too, that these young men, like Arch and Seth, packed guns in their belts, a custom she had hardly expected to find at a fair. One of them made eyes at Molly.
After a while they came back, when Molly's partner had left, and if ever Molly had seen the devil in the eyes of a youth she saw it in one of these customers. Still, he was not bad-looking and Molly could not help liking him.
"Miss--Miss--What'd you say your name was?" he asked as he straddled the bench before the counter.
"I didn't say," replied Molly.
"Oh, ex--cuse me. My mistake," he returned, crestfallen at the subdued glee of his comrades. "Have you any pop?"
"No," replied Molly.
"Or ginger ale?"
Molly shook her head.
"Not any pink lemonade?"
"Only coffee an' sandwiches an' cake."
"Cake? Well, give us cake an' coffee," ordered the cowboy. She served them swiftly and discreetly, deftly avoiding the bold hand that sought to include her fingers as she passed a cup. "Do you live here?" he asked presently.
"You know quite well I'm a stranger in Flag, else you wouldn't be so impertinent," returned Molly severely.
"Aw!" He subsided with that exclamation. And his comrades proceeded to enjoy themselves at his expense. Molly's keen ears lost nothing of the banter. They were just brimful of fun. Evidently the bold one enjoyed something of a reputation as a lady-killer, and had at last met defeat.
Presently, as he could not get Molly to notice him, and grew tired of listening to his friends, he threw some silver on the counter and said, loftily, "Keep the change, Little Snowflake." Then he strode away, and after a few moments the others followed.
From this time Molly was kept busy, and only gradually did it dawn upon her that a string of cowboys kept coming and going, for the very obvious reason of getting a look at her. More than once she heard the name Snowflake. Still, none of them were rude. Manifestly they had taken her for a guest of some prominent family in the town, and a lady of quality.
Molly enjoyed it hugely, though she had more than one melancholy reservation that it might have been different if they had guessed she was only one of the Dunns of the Cibeque.
Soon she was relieved by the young lady, Miss Price, who shared the booth with her.
"You've got the boys guessing," said this smiling worthy. "They've
"But, Mrs. See--I'd have to stick to dad an' Arch," said Molly, suddenly confronted with a lamentable fact.
"Shore. In a way you've got to. I wouldn't think much of anyone who couldn't stand by her own kin."
Not until afternoon on the ride out to the fair-grounds did Molly quite forget Jim Traft's look and the ignominy of the Dunns. But once arrived there she quite lost her own identity. This girl in blue at whom everybody stared was some other person. Crowdsof people, girls in gay apparel, cowboys in full regalia, Indians in picturesque attire, horses, horses, horses, and prize cattle, and every kind of a vehicle Molly had ever heard of, appeared to move before her eyes.
Quite by magic, it seemed, she found herself separated from the smiling Mrs. See and conducted to a gaily decorated booth. There she was introduced to a girl about her own age, with whom she was to share the fascinating work of serving the public with sandwiches and coffee.
Fortunately for Molly, her partner was nice and friendly, and certainly gave no indication that she had ever heard of the Dunns of West Fork.
Under her amiable instruction Molly, who was nothing if not expert at waiting at table, acquitted herself creditably. But she could not get used to the marvellous gown she had on, and was in a panic for fear she might get a stain upon it. She did not, however, have so much work that she could not see what was going on, and presently she was having a perfectly wonderful time.
Once she served three cowboys. They were hardly a new species to Molly.
Nevertheless, she had not seen such brilliant scarves and fancy belts.
She noticed, too, that these young men, like Arch and Seth, packed guns in their belts, a custom she had hardly expected to find at a fair. One of them made eyes at Molly.
After a while they came back, when Molly's partner had left, and if ever Molly had seen the devil in the eyes of a youth she saw it in one of these customers. Still, he was not bad-looking and Molly could not help liking him.
"Miss--Miss--What'd you say your name was?" he asked as he straddled the bench before the counter.
"I didn't say," replied Molly.
"Oh, ex--cuse me. My mistake," he returned, crestfallen at the subdued glee of his comrades. "Have you any pop?"
"No," replied Molly.
"Or ginger ale?"
Molly shook her head.
"Not any pink lemonade?"
"Only coffee an' sandwiches an' cake."
"Cake? Well, give us cake an' coffee," ordered the cowboy. She served them swiftly and discreetly, deftly avoiding the bold hand that sought to include her fingers as she passed a cup. "Do you live here?" he asked presently.
"You know quite well I'm a stranger in Flag, else you wouldn't be so impertinent," returned Molly severely.
"Aw!" He subsided with that exclamation. And his comrades proceeded to enjoy themselves at his expense. Molly's keen ears lost nothing of the banter. They were just brimful of fun. Evidently the bold one enjoyed something of a reputation as a lady-killer, and had at last met defeat.
Presently, as he could not get Molly to notice him, and grew tired of listening to his friends, he threw some silver on the counter and said, loftily, "Keep the change, Little Snowflake." Then he strode away, and after a few moments the others followed.
From this time Molly was kept busy, and only gradually did it dawn upon her that a string of cowboys kept coming and going, for the very obvious reason of getting a look at her. More than once she heard the name Snowflake. Still, none of them were rude. Manifestly they had taken her for a guest of some prominent family in the town, and a lady of quality.
Molly enjoyed it hugely, though she had more than one melancholy reservation that it might have been different if they had guessed she was only one of the Dunns of the Cibeque.
Soon she was relieved by the young lady, Miss Price, who shared the booth with her.
"You've got the boys guessing," said this smiling worthy. "They've
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