"His early education is up to you. I'm not afraid he will learn anything he shouldn't from you. Go at him slowly and sensibly. Don't try to stuff it all into him at once. Meanwhile, I'll teach him to ride, shoot, herd, rope, and all that, occasionally impressing upon him the cardinal principles of the broncho boys—truth, honesty, sincerity, courage, and kindness."
"He'll be a fine fellow some of these days, Ted, and a good-looking and good-tempered one."
"I think he will. Suppose we take a little walk, if you have nothing better to do. I want to get your opinion on some matters."
"The very thing. I saw a pretty little park on the bank of a river. We'll walk there."
"I have promised to go out to Colonel Billings' ranch to-morrow, and I took the liberty of accepting the invitation for you all, as there is nothing to do around here, and I have a hunch that something good will come of it."
"I'll be glad to go. You know how much I like the town. I wouldn't care if I never saw one again."
"It's all right, then. We'll start in the morning. I am more than anxious to go now, especially as Billings tells me he has invited several other people to be his guests."
"Who are they?"
"You remember the girl who slipped the note into my pocket in the St. Louis station, and the young fellow with the pointed beard. Well, I saw them both in town this morning. The girl ran away from me on the street, jumped into a carriage, and drove away."
"There's nothing about you to cause a girl to run." Stella looked up at Ted in a teasing way.