Again she looked impatiently up the road and then went on:
"Six, he loves, seven, she loves, Eight, both love--"
She turned quickly. She heard the gallop of a saddle horse coming. The rider sprang off, tied his horse and sat on the rock by her side.
She appeared not to notice him, and her piqued face was turned away petulantly.
It was a handsome boyish face that looked at her for a moment mischievously. Then he seized and kissed her despite her struggles.
For this she boxed his ears soundly and sat off on another rock.
"Harry Travis, you can't kiss me every time you want to, no matter if we are engaged."
It was a strong and rather a masculine voice, and it grated on one slightly, being scarcely expected from so beautiful a face. In it was power, self-will, ambition--but no tenderness nor that voice, soft and low, which "is an excellent thing in woman."
"Did you ever hear that love is not love if it is a minute late? Just see how long I have waited here for you?"
She sat down by his side and looked fondly up into his face, flushed with exercise and smiling half cynically. It was the same smile seen so often on the face of Richard Travis.
"Oh, say," he said, dolefully, "but don't start the hubby-come-to-taw-business on me until we are married. I was late because I had to steal the Gov'nor's new mare--isn't she a beauty?"
"Oh, say," he went on, "but that is a good one--he has bought her for somebody he is stuck on--can't say who--and I heard him tell Jim not to let anybody get on her back.
"Well,"--he laughed--"she certainly has a fine back. I stole her out and galloped right straight here.
"You ought to own her,"--he went on flippantly--pinching playfully at the lobe of her ear--"her name is Coquette."
"Harry!" she said, pulling away--"don't now--Mammy Maria said I was never to--let you kiss me."
"Oh," he said with some iciness--"Listen to her an' you will die an old maid. Besides, I am not engaged to Mammy Maria."
"Do you think I am a coquette?" she asked, sitting down by him again.
"Worst I ever saw--I said to Nellie just now--I mean--" he stopped and laughed.
"Then you've stopped to see Nellie, and that is why you are late? I do not care what she says--I am true to you, Harry--because--because I love you."