"And you actually rode out to meet me?"
"Actually," he smiled.
They chatted about the rodeo, and the news of the countryside—for it had been several weeks since they had met—and so reached the point of the last ridge before you come to the ranch. Then Patches asked, "May we ride over there on the ridge, and sit for a while in the shade of that old cedar, for a little talk? It's early yet, and it's been ages since we had a pow-wow."
Reaching the point which Patches had chosen, they left their horses and made themselves comfortable on the brow of the hill, overlooking the wide valley meadow and the ranches.
"And now," said Kitty, looking at him curiously, "what's the talk, Mr. Honorable Patches?"
"Just you," said Patches, gravely.
"Me?"
"Your own charming self," he returned.
"But, please, good sir, what have I done?" she asked. "Or, perhaps, it's what have I not done?"
"Or perhaps," he retorted, "it's what you are going to do."