The two had circled the room and both were enjoying themselves immensely, when Sandy said in a low tone: “Are you thawing?”
Julie could not control the ripple of laughter, because she knew that he knew her seeming arrogancy was mere pretense. She was never patterned for a queen, nor for a charmer that spurned her idolators with haughty insolence.
The music ceased, but the joyous dancers encored to such a degree that the orchestra responded. During the interval in the dance Sandy smiled at Julie, and said: “It will not be necessary for Miss Joan to make that wish as my proxy at the Enchanted Mesa. The iceberg is no more.”
Julie tried to pout, but her spirits were too effervescent, and it ended in a laugh, as the Ranger swung her away again in the second half of the dance.
“Think I’ll stop for breath!” gasped Julie, as they came opposite an inviting balcony reached by palm-bowered French windows.
Sandy caught her thought and instantly whirled her over to the alluring tête-à-tête. As fate had it that evening the balcony was unoccupied, so the Ranger seated Julie in a luxurious wicker chair and took the other vacant chair beside her.
“Oh, what a marvelous scene!” exclaimed the scout, gazing at the sea-blue heavens where the brilliant stars twinkled like signal-lights on unseen vessels riding at anchor in the clear transparency of the heaven. All about she could see the ghostlike peaks that seemed to encircle the city, and back of them other peaks, and then back of these still others, till night swallowed the dim outlines of the Santa Fé Range, the Pecos, the Sangre de Cristo, and other mountains.
Sandy was silent. He sat and stared at the distant mountains and pondered. He wished to ask a favor of his companion, but he was not sure how it would be received.
“Are you trying to see what your friend Oliver is doing up on Grass Peak?” asked Julie, quizzically, as she waited overlong for the Ranger to speak.
“I was visualizing myself up there in the cabin after Oliver brings up the mail-pouch. I will enjoy reading letters, next to being with Mr. Gilroy’s party.”