“I've been surveying my empire,” said he.
“Your what?”
“My empire. The land belongs to the company, but the landscape belongs to him who cares for it.”
She tossed her head a little. “Where did ye learn to talk like ye do?”
“In another life,” said he—“before I became a stableman. Not in entire forgetfulness, but trailing clouds of glory did I come.”
For a moment she wrestled with this. Then a smile broke upon her face. “Sure, 'tis like a poetry-book! Say some more!”
“O, singe fort, so suess und fein!” quoted Hal—and saw her look puzzled.
“Aren't you American?” she inquired; and he laughed. To speak a foreign language in North Valley was not a mark of culture!
“I've been listening to the crowd at Reminitsky's,” he said, apologetically.
“Oh! You eat there?”