Alison smiled in anticipated amusement and when the hour came for the noonday meal she watched the young man slyly. There was neither fork nor spoon with which to convey the frijoles to his mouth. He looked at them helplessly and both the girls laughed merrily. “You must roll up your tortillas so, and make a spoon,” Alison told him, and when he awkwardly tried to follow her directions she laughed at him the more. So the meal passed amid much merriment, for Blythe was good-nature itself and even Pedro’s gravity relaxed at the joyousness of the young people.
“Now you will take a walk with me, won’t you?” said Blythe to Alison when the meal was over and they had wandered to where a cottonwood afforded some shelter from the heat of noon. Pedro was taking his siesta, and Lolita, too, had curled herself up in the long grass, sleep already causing her long lashes to droop over the soft curve of her cheek.
“It is too hot for a walk, don’t you know that?” said Alison. “You’ve a lot to learn about this part of the country, Mr. Van Dorn of New York State. This is the time for rest. Not a Mexican but has sense enough to remain absolutely quiet after a full meal! Pedro thinks it a mortal sin to exercise after eating, and was just telling me the story of the man whom his master found lying under a tree, when his companions were working in the cane.”
“I have never heard the story.”
“His master came along and asked why he was not working, and the man made answer: ‘Empty sack can’t stand.’ His master sent him to the house for a good meal. An hour after the master came that way again and there was the man as before lying under the tree. ‘Why are you not at work?’ asked he. ‘An hour ago you gave as an excuse that you were empty. Have you not eaten as I told you to do?’ ‘Full sack can’t bend,’ said the man.”
Blythe laughed. “Then I will have mercy on you and we will rest here.”
“Not here, but over by that oak yonder where it is more shady; this cottonwood’s foliage is so light and thin it does not protect one near so well as the oak. I will walk that far, although it is against my principles.”
They established themselves comfortably, Alison leaning against the trunk of the tree and Blythe half reclining at her feet. “And now tell me what is your favorite type of man,” said the lad, pulling a blade of the dry grass and drawing it between his fingers.
“You tell me first what is your ideal of womanhood.”
“That is easy to do. She must be young and fair.”