Page:BM Bower - Her Prairie Knight.djvu/50

 unbearably flippant and—I should think he'd hate me!"

"So you reversed the natural order of things, and refused him on account of the title?" Dick grinned surreptitiously.

"No, I didn't—not quite. I'm afraid he's dreadfully angry with me, though. I do wish he wasn't such a dear."

"You're the same old Trix. You've got to be held back from the trail you're supposed to take, or you won't travel it; you'll bolt the other way. If everybody got together and fought the notion, you would probably elope with milord inside a week. Mother means well, but she isn't on to her job a little bit. She ought to turn up her nose at the title."

"No fear of that! I've had it before my eyes till I hate the very thought of it. I—I wish I could hate him." Beatrice sighed deeply, and gave her hand to Dorman, who scurred up to her.

"I'll have the horses saddled right away," said Dick, and left them.

"Where you going, Be'trice? You going to ride a horse? I want to, awf'lly."

"I'm afraid you can't, honey; it's too far." 48