"I've simply _got_ to pet him!" She cautiously
approached the colt.

He permitted her this approach. Nor did he
shy at her outstretched hand. Under her gentle
caresses he stood very still, and when she stooped
before him, as she did presently, bringing her
eyes upon a level with his own, he gazed into them
very frankly and earnestly, as if gauging this
person, as he had seemed to tabulate all other
things, some day to make good use of his knowledge.
After a time the girl spoke.

"I wish I could keep you always," she said,
poutingly. "You look so nice and babyish!"
But she knew that she could not keep him, and
after a time she stood up again and sighed, and
fell to stroking him thoughtfully. "I'll have you
to-day, anyway," she declared, finally, with promise
of enjoyment in her voice, as one who meant
to make the most of it. Then she got back into
the phaeton.

The Judge started up the horse again. They
continued through the town, and when on its
northwestern outskirts turned to the right along
a trail that paralleled the river. The trail ran
north and south, and on either side of it, sometimes
shielding a secluded ranch, always forming an
agreeable oasis in the flat brown of the country,
rose an occasional clump of cottonwoods. The
ranch-houses were infrequent, however; all of
them were plentifully supplied with water by
giant windmills which clacked and creaked above
the trees in the high-noon breeze. To the left,

[[37]]

p036 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p037w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p038

v?