José — page 43: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

36 | JOSE. loud laughter. “I suppose you think now you’ve shown Dutch Bill a trick he didn’t know before?” he said, turning to the boy as the latter placed the bridle in his hand. “You are wrong. I wanted an opportunity to speak with you and to show you first that I could handle horses and mules!” The look which the freighter encountered was the same earnest, almost serious expression that had impressed him before, and which now drove away the last trace of ill nature in the old fellow’s face. “You’re a curious little chap. I hope there’s no Mormon or something worse in you. Come along and talk as much as you like,” he said, turning and leading the animal by the lasso and bridle toward the wagon park, and replying to the jeering re- marks of the bystanders with a comical shake of the head. “You see this beast is the most stubborn little cuss in the whole drove, pretty as he is,” he continued, directing his remarks to the young man; “and I made a bet I’d bring him to time. I suppose you’re a Mexican?” “Yes, from the border, and I should like to join the train to return home.” “Oho! What brought you here and what have you been doing since you arrived ?” “J worked on a farm near St. Louis—I thought I could earn some money there,” was the reply. The young man for a moment raised his eyes; but he lowered them quickly as they encountered the searching look of the freighter. “That’s a queer idea! You don’t seem to have worked hard,” he remarked, scanning the soft, shapely hands and feet of the other; “but that’s nothing tome. I'll just take this converted Mormon (COMMING YOO KS (E(O)