"I know the army brand when I see it," Ellis said.
"Then why in tarnation didn't you tell me!"
Ellis gave him a straight look. "Because I knew you would put the worst
possible interpretation on anything I did. I knew if I stole a mule,
you'd be ready to blast out at me before I had a chance to explain." He
clenched his teeth. "So I didn't feel like hurrying to explain."
Joe was flustered. "Too proud to explain, is that it?" he said. "By not
explaining, you hoped to make a fool of me, is that it?"
Ellis ignored the accusation. "The way I figured," he said, "this mule
will take us to Axton, and once we're there we stand a better chance to
buy a mule than we do out here in the middle of the prairie."
"Very true," said Joe. Ellis and Joe exchanged a long, silent look, in
which Ellis accused Joe of judging him too hastily and Joe accused Ellis
of making a fool of him by not explaining.
Bobby went to stand at Ellis's side. Her movement was a shock to Joe. It
made him question himself. Was he looking for trouble with Ellis,
perhaps more than he had any need to?
Joe swallowed his pride. "I been doing too much judging, Ellis," he
said. "And I'm sorry."
Ellis grinned. "Forget it," he said. "When I get mad, I get ornery. I
got plenty of work to do on my temper."