As for your not having any right, ain't we all there is? You've
got to be mother and sister and aunt and everything to me. I ain't
as young as I have been, Mattie, and I miss she-ways terrible at
times. Now put out your fin like a good pardner, and here goes for
no more rhinecaboos for Chantay Seeche Red--time I quit drinking,
anyhow," he slipped a ring off his little finger. "Here, hold out
your hand," said he, "I'll put this on for luck, and the sake of
the promise--by the same token, I've got a noose on you now, and
you're my property."

This, of course, was only Cousin Will's joking, but Miss Mattie
noticed with a sudden hot flush, that he had chosen the engagement
finger--in all ignorance, she felt sure. The last thing she could
do would be to call his attention to the fact, or run the risk of
hurting his feelings by transferring the ring; besides, it was a
pretty ring--a rough ruby in a plain gold band--and looked very
well where it was.

Then they settled down for what Red called a good medicine talk.
Miss Mattie found herself boldly speaking of little fancies and
notions that had remained in the inner shrine of her soul for
years, shrinking from the matter-of-fact eye of Fairfield; yet this
big, ferocious looking Cousin Will seemed to find them both sane
and interesting, and as her self-respect went up in the
arithmetical, her admiration for Cousin Will went up in the
geometrical ratio. He frankly admitted weaknesses and fears that
the males of Fairfield would have rejected scornfully.

Miss Mattie spoke of sleeping upstairs, because she could not rid
herself of the fear of somebody coming in.

"I know just how you feel about that," said Red. "My hair used to
be on its feet most of the time when we were in the hay camp at the
lake beds. Gee whizz! The rattlers! We put hair ropes
around--but them rattlers liked to squirm over hair ropes for
exercise. One morning I woke up and there was a crawler on my
chest. 'For God's sake, Pete!' says I to Antelope Pete, who was
rolled up next me, 'come take my friend away!' and I didn't holler
very loud, neither. Pete was chain lightning in pants, and he
grabs Mr. Rattler by the tail and snaps his neck, but I felt
lonesome in my inside till dinner time. You bet! I know just how
you feel, exactly. I didn't have a man's sized night's rest whilst
we was in that part of the country."

It struck Miss Mattie that the cases were hardly parallel. "A
rattlesn