Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/209

 ENNETH allowed one day to elapse before calling for Pronto and riding out to the Bungalow. His head was full of this girl: he could think of nothing else. She haunted him as no other of his numerous flames had ever haunted him; and yet, strangely enough, the realization that he was in love with her had not entered his head. This was the more remarkable in that he had often enough been "stuck" on other girls, and had realized the fact, and been secretive or proud of it according to his age. But he did not at all consider himself "stuck" on this girl. She was just different. For one thing, you did not have to talk to her all the time; for another, she seemed to have some sense when she did talk; and she certainly was a bird of a horsewoman! Looked to Kenneth as though she would be a lot more fun than these other silly creatures who always wanted a lot of help and attention just because they were girls. So impersonal was his conscious attitude as yet that he suffered no immediate pang of disappointment when his knocking elicited finally only Brainerd in a dressing gown.

"I was riding by and I dropped in to see how Miss Brainerd survived the party," he said.

The tall man's weary eyes surveyed him detachedly. A faint glint of amusement lurked in their depths.

"Miss Brainerd"—he choked slightly over the words, but recovered himself at once and went on gravely, "was here not five minutes ago. I can't imagine what can have become of her." He examined Kenneth again and liked his looks. "I'm a little seedy to-day," he continued, in explanation both of his own presence in working hours and the costume in which he was dis-