"You will learn," she rejoined, smiling. "Everybody
does."

With this, Helen discreetly changed the subject.
She entered upon less intimate matters, and soon,
sweeping off into a rhapsody over the country -- its
attraction for Easterners, its grip on Westerners -- she
was chatting with a freedom typical of the
country. For by now she was interested, and for
some inexplicable reason she found herself drawn
to the smiling stranger.

Also, Pat was interested. But not in the things
which appealed to his mistress. Pat was pondering
the sullen nature of the horse beside him, and
as they rode slowly toward town he stole frequent
sidelong glances at his unfriendly companion.
But all he could arrive at was that, while appearing
peaceable enough, this horse was the most self-satisfied
animal chance had ever thrown his way.
After a time he ceased all friendly advances, such
as pressing close beside him and now and again
playfully nipping at him, and took up his own
affairs, finding deep cause for satisfaction in the
return of his breath after the long race, and in
the passing of pain from his strained legs, to say
nothing of the complete absence of flying papers
around him.

They crossed the railroad track and entered the
town. Here the young man took a polite leave of
Helen, and Pat, seeing the unfriendly horse canter
away at a brisk gait, himself set out briskly, feeling
somehow called upon to emulate the step of the
other. And thus he continued through town to the

[[83]]

p082 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p083w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p084

v?