I venture to say that if you'd been out in the world you d have had a dozen sweethearts and have told many a lie before this." "I wouldn't anything of the kind," declared Bess, indignantly.
"Well--perhaps not lie.

But you'd have had the sweethearts--You couldn't have helped that--being so pretty." This remark appeared to be a very clever and fortunate one; and the work of selecting and then of stowing all the packs in the cave went on without further interruption.
Venters closed up the opening of the cave with a thatch of willows and aspens, so that not even a bird or a rat could get in to the sacks of grain.

And this work was in order with the precaution habitually observed by him.

He might not be able to get out of Utah, and have to return to the valley.

But he owed it to Bess to make the attempt, and in case they were compelled to turn back he wanted to find that fine store of food and grain intact.