Free Diamond Buckow by A. J. Arnold

girl pay their way and still hang on to his self-respect? I want to take you and show you a good time, but what am I supposed to do?”
    â€œOh, Buck, please,” Sarah whined, her tiny pink mouth setting in a pout.
    Then something in her tone, something about the tilt of her head, changed. It made him think once more of his sister when she was determined to have her own way.
    â€œBuck, I really want to go,” Sarah wheedled. “If you won’t take your rightful pay from Mrs. Blough, then please let me give you a small loan. You can pay it back later.”
    Exasperated, he was saved a snappish retort as Nancy insisted solemnly, “After all, it is money due you. If Henry doesn’t see to it, then I must. I know how to handle my husband, Buck. Even though you’re my friend, there are certain things between marriage partners that you dare not become involved with.”
    â€œI realize that,” Buck said, leveling a straight look at her. “And I’m sorry if I’ve been too forward. But, Mrs. Blough, I won’t accept money from you.”
    He began to pace and finally paused in front of the women with his hands spread out to them.
    â€œCan’t either of you see? Blough hired me, and it’s up to him to make good. Nothing you could do would solve that problem, nor settle the debt he owes me for a lot of fair work.”
    Sarah watched him in thoughtful silence, but after a long space, it was Nancy who spoke.
    â€œAll right, Buck. I have to respect your feelings. You know best what you have to do, so I’ll go now and let you manage your own business with Henry.”
    As she left the millinery, Buck sensed a great, deeply fathomed sorrow in his employer’s wife. He guessed he still didn’t understand her, or know all there was to know about her yet.
    Turning back to Sarah, he commented, “It’s too bad she’s married to that old coot.”
    â€œThat’s her problem,” she shot back in a tone that shocked him. He wondered if she didn’t even care.
    â€œLet her worry about it, I’m not,” Sarah went on. “We have our own troubles.”
    â€œThe lack of pay isn’t all of it, either,” Buck muttered, leaning his elbows on the counter.
    â€œUp ’til now I’ve lived in a small bunkhouse by myself. But today, the boss moved three others in on me.”
    Sarah Ainsworth pursed her lips, balling her hands into fists, one on each hip.
    â€œIf Mr. Blough can’t pay you, I don’t see why he should be hiring more workers.”
    Buck grimaced. “In the first place, he could pay me if he wanted to. In the second, he’s not payin’ these men. It comes out of Sheriff Driscoll’s office. One’s wearing a badge, name of Newt Yocum. Old Man Blough is always complainin’ about cattle rustlers, so this is his answer.”
    Sarah frowned, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
    â€œBlough and Wide Loop Thompson got this Yocum fellow appointed deputy. Now he’s living at our ranch, him and a couple of his helpers that don’t have sense enough to come in out of the rain. The three of ’em ride around trying to figure out where all the disappeared stock from this range gets to.”
    She nodded absently. “Now, how about the dance tonight, Buck? What would it hurt, when we both know you’ll repay me as soon as you can? I don’t know how long I can hold off going west with Pa, and I’d purely love to have one more good time before he drags me away. Please, Buck?”
    He glared at her. “I thought you told me you could handle your father. That he’d give in.”
    The musical innocence came back to Sarah’s voice as she fluttered her long, curling eyelashes.
    â€œOh, I know I did. But now I’m not so sure. Lately he’s been more insistent, and harder to fool.”
    Gritting his teeth, Buck was about to say something angry when a strange