g something?
And now, you're out of breath!"

"It was knocked out by the thought of her being so old--but I guess
you're right. Well, I wouldn't call her life caged-up. The settlers
have been moving in pretty steadily, and she has friends amongst all
the families where there's women-folks. She has her own pony, and is
gone more than suits me; and although there's no young man disposable,
we ain't fretting about that, nor her neither."

"I used to think she might be foolish about Wilfred Compton--but
Lahoma, she ain't foolish about nothing. Nevertheless, Bill, it ain't
right. Settlers is settlers, and what she yearns for is the big world.
I would long since of took her out to see it, but dassn't from a
liability to be catched up for divers deeds that was unlawfully charged
to me in times past. You could have guided her along the city trails,
but was too cussed obstinate."

"She's your cousin," retorted Bill, "and it wasn't for me to act her
guardian. Besides, did you want to lose her? You couldn't take Lahoma
where she'd be seen and known, and expect to get her back again. Maybe
it isn't exactly fair to keep her boarded up--but the times are
changing all that, and sorry am I to see it. Do you know, Brick, I
once thought you and me and Lahoma could just live here in the cove
till time was no more, reading our books, and smoking our pipes, and
taking peaceful morning trips like this--to see whether we'd caught a
coyote in our traps, or a bobcat, or a skunk."

"Yes, that's all right for us; but Lahoma ain't smoking no pipe, nor is
her interest in skunks such as ours."

"Just so--but see how Greer County is getting settled up--that's what's
going to save us, Brick--civilization is coming to Lahoma, she won't
have to go out gunning after it."

"Of course I've thought of that. I ain't got your grammar, but my mind
don't have to wait to let in an idea after it's put its clothes on.
Maybe they comes in nothing but a nightshirt, but I ain't ever knowed
YOU to think of nothing yet, that I hadn't entertained in some fashion.
Of course, civilization is a-creeping up to the mountain, and I reckon
by the time Lahoma is my age it'll be playing an organ in church. But
she's at the age that calls for quick work--she's got the rest of her
life to settle down in. Most all of a person's life is spent in
settling and it's befitting to lay in the foundation aforetime. Look
at that dear girl in The Children of the Abbey, a