the same to him -- though he found himself gazing
down now instead of up to engage her eyes -- yet,
as if she had been gone but a day, he suddenly
nuzzled her hand for loaf sugar and quartered
apples. Then as suddenly he regretted this.
For she had left him -- was running across the
corral. Frantically he rushed after her and, with
a shrill cry of protest, saw her enter the house.
But soon she appeared again, and when close, and
he saw the familiar sweets in her hand, he nickered
again, this time in sheer delight. And if he had
doubted his good fortune before, now, with his
mouth dripping luscious juices, he knew positively
that he had come into his own again.

Sometime during the feast Helen noticed a
scar across his nose. "Why, Pat!" she exclaimed.
"How ever did you get that?"

But Pat did not say. Indeed, it is doubtful
whether, in this happiest of moments, he would
have descended to such commonplaces. But it
was no commonplace to Helen, and she promptly
sought out the Mexican. Yet Miguel declared
that he knew nothing of the scar. He had been
very watchful of the colt, he lied, cheerfully, and
the scar was as much a mystery to him as it was
to her. Whereupon Helen decided that Pat had
brought it about through some prank, and, after
returning to him and indulging in further caresses
and love-talk, reluctantly took leave of him, returning
to the house, there to begin unpacking
her numerous trunks.

Thus their friendship was renewed. Pat was

[[55]]

p054 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p055w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p056

v?