Donald came to his feet. For a moment it seemed as if he were to be passed unnoticed. He ran to the trail and waved his arm with a welcoming shout. This brought him a flash of startled blue eyes, then the cayuse with a snort of fear went straight up into the air, spinning high on his hindlegs. A sharp word of command and a quick twist of the nut-brown hands caused the frightened beast to half turn and lower his forelegs gently to the ground. As he stepped to the cayuse’s head Donald noted the lean and sinewed flanks of the animal, the strong muscled shoulders, and the slender but powerful limbs. He stroked the shiny neck and Pegasus made answer to such advances by rubbing his moist nose against Donald’s shoulder.
“Nothing mythical about this steed,” observed Donald, gently prodding the bunched muscles on the horse’s chest. “And,” he added jestingly, “I do not see the golden bridle presented by the goddess to Bellerophon while he slept.”
A subtle flicker danced momentarily in the corners of the blue orbs of the rider. “I have clipped his wings, so I have no need of the magic bridle,” she said smilingly.
The voice was gentle and mellow. The pronunciation, clear and perfect, held a trace of English accent that was pleasing to Donald’s ears. One could not look upon Connie without thinking of flowers, birds and sunshine. Constant exercise had turned her muscles into cords of steel; mountain air and sunshine had darkened her face and hands to a deep bronze and brought to her cheeks a warm glow that showed richly through the coat of tan.
Connie looked on this stranger as a being infinitely beyond her ken, a part of a world of which she had no knowledge. His tall, well-knit body, his shining black hair, dark flashing eyes, his fine clothes and his deep resonant voice were a source of wonder and admiration to this girl, whose knowledge of men was limited to a few lone trappers and Indians. She was suddenly disconcerted and felt like running away.
“I was on my way to call on you. Is your father home?”
Surprised at her own boldness, Connie slipped lightly to the ground and stood beside him.
“Yes,” she rejoined awkwardly, “he is. I’ll go with you.”
Donald spoke again, with a playful smile that caused the girl to flush with a mixture of pleasure and confusion. “I thought when I saw you poised on Pegasus’s back that a close inspection would disclose a pair of transparent, gauzy wings, but,” peering at her shoulders, “evidently the rider is clipped as well.”