Page:Son of the wind.djvu/123

RV 111 "I'll bring her back safe and sound!" he declared. cheerfully, putting toe in the stirrup. "Queer thing," he thought as the mustang, with quick little feet, carried him abreast the mare's limber stride. He looked critically at his companion. She had coerced the chestnut from curves and gambits into a forward and sufficiently rhythmical motion, and was so occupied with the continuance of this that she did not feel the scrutiny. She had the body of the rider, supple back, thinking hands and wiry thighs. He thought he recognized in her the rider's mind, intuition before thought, and a sublime confidence.

"Your mother ought to have faith in your horsemanship," he remarked.

"Why, but she does! what makes you think she doesn't?" The question was shot at him with surprise.

"She seemed so mighty anxious when you came out, and afterward when we went off together I got the idea she was afraid of something."

"Oh," said Blanche Rader, "oh, I see!" and began laughing. "Perhaps it was on account of having a strange horse," she suggested, and looked at him with bright eyes of amusement.

He felt sulky. He could stand being laughed at, but to be surveyed as if his appearance somehow had a part in the joke was irritating.