"Collie!"
Louise stood beside the sweating Yuma, patting the pony's neck. Collie raised his sombrero formally.
Louise was bareheaded. The clear morning sunlight enhanced her rich coloring. Against the misty gray of the cañon wall, her head in profile, as she stood beside the horse, was as delicately beautiful as that vision that imagination knows full well but may seldom realize.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Collie, don't! Say anything but that. You look awfully glum. Surely not because I took Yuma."
"No. Only I was afraid for you."
"So you followed at break-neck speed to rescue the timorous, the despairing, and-so-forth?"
"I can't joke like that this morning."
"Why? I'm here, safe enough. Had breakfast?"
"Yes. I wanted to see you about something, Louise."