“Like it here, eh?” he said. “Well, you look it.” He shook a finger at her. “Agatha has been writing to me rather often, lately,” he added. There followed no answer and J. C. went on, narrowing his eyes at the girl. “She tells me that this fellow who calls himself ‘Brand’ Trevison has proven himself a—shall we say, persistent?—escort on your trips of inspection around the ranch.”
Rosalind’s face slowly crimsoned.
“H’m,” said Benham.
“I thought Corrigan—” he began. The girl’s eyes chilled.
“H’m,” said Benham, again.
CHAPTER XII
EXPOSED TO THE SUNLIGHT
It was a month before Trevison went to town, again. Only once during that time did he see Rosalind Benham, for the Blakeleys had vacated, and goods and servants had arrived from the East and needed attention. Rosalind presided at the Bar B ranchhouse, under Agatha’s chaperonage, and she had invited Trevison to visit her whenever the mood struck him. He had been in the mood many times, but had found no opportunity, for the various activities of range work claimed his attention. After a critical survey of Manti and vicinity, J. C. had climbed aboard his private car to be whisked to New York, where he reported to his Board of Directors that Manti would one day be one of the greatest commercial centers of the West.