Page:Son of the wind.djvu/101

RV 89 tentative thought was sent out from one to the other, and withdrawn.

"There is one favor I must ask of you," Carron said lightly. "I shall have to let you make my pillows sit up properly, for that I can't do; but I do draw the line at your rubbing down my mare."

It was a chance shot, but it drew fire. "Oh, I enjoy that. I like it better than the housework. George cleans the stalls for me, and usually does the horses. I only oversee, but I curried yours for the fun of it. She is such a beauty, and she was quite glad to see me."

"Naturally! She'll be delighted to carry you, too. Perhaps some day when you have time you will be good enough to try her."

"Oh, I should love to!"

Her fervor quickened him with a feeling of companionship for her. "You like them, don't you?"

"Horses?" Her hesitation surprised him. "Oh, yes, I like them well enough. They are lovely!" She meditated, then added, "But they're so silly."

"Silly?"

"Yes; letting us put steel in their mouths, and stick steel into their sides, and pull their heads about with reins—giving in to us and obeying us, when they could trample us into nothing!"

He drew down the corners of his mouth and shot