"_Oui_, A'm know 'bout dat, too. Dat was pret' good, but nex' tam dat
better you start in fightin' fore you git knock clean across de coulee
firs'. A'm lak dat girl. She dam' fine 'oman, you bet. A'm no lak'
she git harm."

"See here, Bat," interrupted the Texan, "no matter what my intentions
were when I started out, they're all right now."

"_Oui_, A'm know dat, 'bout two day."

"It's this way, I be'n thinkin' quite a bit the last couple of days
there ain't a thing in hellin' around the country punchin' other folks'
cattle for wages. It's time I was settlin' down. If that girl will
take a long shot an' marry me, I'm goin' to rustle around an' start an
outfit of my own. I'll be needin' a man about your heft an' complexion
to help me run it, too--savvy?"

The half-breed nodded slowly. "_Oui_, all de tam A'm say: 'Some tam
Tex she queet de dam' foolin', an' den she git to be de beeg man.' I
ain' tink you git dis 'oman, but dat don' mak' no differ', som' tam you
be de beeg man yet. Som' nodder 'oman com' 'long----"

"To hell with some other woman!" flared the Texan. "I tell you I'll
have that girl or I'll never look at another woman. There ain't
another woman in the world can touch her. You think you're wise as
hell, but I'll show you!"

The half-breed regarded him gloomily: "A'm tink dat 'oman de pilgrim
'oman."