"What on earth have I and my affairs got to do with you?
Who are you ?" "I dunno," said Ronicky Doone.

"I suppose you might say I'm a champion of lost causes, lady.

Why have I got something to do with you?
I'll tell you why: Because, when a girl gets past being just pretty and starts in being plumb beautiful, she lays off being the business of any one gent--her father or her brother--she starts being the business of the whole world.

You see?
They come like that about one in ten million, and I figure you're that one, lady." The far away smile went out.

She was looking at him now with a sort of sad wonder.