When Bertram Chester came back panting, to return the halter, Antonio had arrived and was unhitching the bay mare from the buckboard. Eleanor stood by the corral gate, her Panama hat fallen back from her brown hair and a little of the excitement left in her grey eyes. Bertram approached, grinning; he wore a swagger like that of a little boy who has just turned a series of somersaults before the little girls. Eleanor noticed this. Faintly--and in spite of the gratitude she owed him for turning a neighborly service into a heroic deed--she resented it. Also, Dynamo and Mr. Chester, between them, had wholly ruined a good prune tree in the prime of bearing. "Say, we didn't do a thing to that tree," said Bertram Chester, with the air of one who deprecates himself that he may leave the road wide open for praise. "It doesn't matter. It--it was very brave of you. Thank you very much--are you hurt?" "Only mussed up a little." He blinked perceptibly at the coolness in her tone. Then he leaned back against a fence-post with the settled air of one who expects to continue the conversation. She swayed slightly away from him. "Kind of nice place," he said, sweeping his eye over the shingled cottage whose rose-bushes were making a brave fight against the dry summer dust, over the tiny lawn, over the Lombardy poplars. "It's nice of you to say so." Bertram turned his eye upon her again. "Say," said he, "I don't believe the Judge expects me back right away! Anything more I can do around the place?" Eleanor smiled through her slight resentment. "I don't think I care to take the responsibility." In that moment, the butcher-wagon, making the rounds from farm-house to farm-house, appeared quite suddenly at the bend of the road. Maria, wife of Antonio and cook for Eleanor's haciendetta, ran out to meet it. "Oh, Maria--tell Mr. Bowles I want to see him!" cried Eleanor, and hurried toward the house. Bertram Chester stood deserted for a moment, and then; "Good bye!" he called after her. "Good bye and thank you so much!" she answered over her shoulder. * * * * * Two minutes later, Mr. Bowles, driver of the meat wagon, was saying to Eleanor: "Which was it--rib or loin for Saturday, Miss Gray?" "Was it?" said Eleanor, absently; and she fell to silence. Maria and Mr. Bowles, waiting respectfully for her decision, followed her eyes. She was looking at a dust cloud which trailed down the lane. When she came out of her revery and beheld them both watching, silent and open-mouthed, she flushed violently. Bertram Chester, swinging between the green rows, was whistling blithely: "Say coons have you ebber ebber seen ma Angeline? She am de swetes' swetes' coon you ebber seen." CHAPTER II