wanted one of those apples mightily. Finally she
gave him one, and then the other, feeding them to
him rapidly, but not more rapidly than he wanted
them. Then she spoke again.

"Pat dear," she said, her voice undergoing
change, "I'm troubled. I am foolish, I know. But
I can't help it. I advised that very nice young
man to ride every morning. And he may do it.
But if he does, sooner or later, perhaps the very
first morning, we shall meet up there on the mesa.
I want that, of course; but, for reasons best known
to Easterners, I don't want it -- not yet." She
gazed off toward the mountains. "I reckon, Pat
dear," she concluded, after a moment, turning her
eyes back to him, "we'd better ride in the afternoons
for a time. Yet the afternoons are so uncomfortably
hot. Oh, dear! What shall I do?"

But the horse did not answer her. All he did
was stand very still, eyes blinking slowly, seemingly
aware of the gravity of the situation, yet
unable to help her. Indeed, that her serious demeanor
had struck a note of sympathy within
him he presently revealed by once more pressing
very close to her -- this in the face of the fact that
she had no more sweets with her and he could
see that she had no more. The movement forced
her back, and evidently he perceived his mistake,
for he quickly retraced one step. Then he
fell to regarding her with curious intentness, his
head twisting slowly in a vertical plane, much as
a dog regards his master, until, evidently finding
this plane of vision becoming awkward, he stopped.

[[87]]

p086 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p087w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p088

v?