They had reached the fork in the road, one branch of which led down to Shannon’s bungalow, the other to the Ganado saddle-horse stables.
“I thought you were coming up to lunch,” said Custer, as Shannon reined her horse into the west road.
“Not to-day,” she said. “I’ll come to dinner, if I may, though.”
“We all miss you when you’re not there,” he said.
“How nice! Now I’ll surely come.”
“And this afternoon—will you ride with me again?”
“I’m going to be very busy this afternoon,” she replied.
His face dropped, and then, almost immediately, he laughed.
“I hadn’t realized how much of your time I have been demanding. Why, you ride with me every day, and now when you want an afternoon off I start moping. I’m afraid you’ve spoiled me; but you mustn’t let me be a nuisance.”
“I ride with you because I like to,” she replied. “I should miss our rides terribly if anything should occur to prevent them.”