CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
A PROPOSAL BY PROXY.
Day by day Hamersley grows stronger, and is able to be abroad.
Soon after Wilder, plucking him by the sleeve, makes request to have his company at some distance from the dwelling.
Hamersley accedes to the request, though not without some surprise.

In the demeanour of his comrade there is an air of mystery.

As this is unusual with the ex-Ranger, he has evidently something of importance to communicate.
Not until they have got well out of sight of the house, and beyond the earshot of anyone inside or around it, does Walt say a word.

And then only after they have come to a stop in the heart of a cotton-wood copse, where a prostrate trunk offers them the accommodation of a seat.
Sitting down upon it, and making sign to Hamersley, still with the same mysterious air, to do likewise, the backwoodsman at length begins to unburden himself.
"Frank," says he, "I've brought ye out hyar to hev a little spell o' talk, on a subjeck as consarns this coon consid'able." "What subject, Walt ?" "Wal, it's about a wumman." "A woman! Why, Walt Wilder, I should have supposed that would be the farthest thing from your thoughts, especially a such a time and in such a place as this." "True it shed, as ye say.

For all that, ef this chile don't misunnerstan' the sign, a wumman ain't the furrest thing from yur thoughts, at the same time an' place." The significance of the observation causes the colour to start to the cheeks of the young prairie merchant, late so pale.