Chapter 3. A Tilt With Sir Redmond - Page 2

inconsequentially. "James must have worked half the time we've been here. They certainly were in a mess the last time I saw them."

"Bother the leggings! But I take it that's a good sign, Miss Lansell--your taking notice of such things."

Beatrice returned to the landscape. "I wonder who originated that phrase, 'The cattle grazing on a thousand hills'? He must have stood just here when he said it."

"Wasn't it one of your American poets? Longfellow, or--er--"

Beatrice simply looked at him a minute and said "Pshaw!"

"Well," he retorted, "you don't know yourself who it was."

"And to think," Beatrice went on, ignoring the subject, "some of those grazing cows and bossy calves are mine--my very own. I never cared before, or thought much about it, till I came out and saw where they live, and Dick pointed to a cow and the sweetest little red and white calf, and said: 'That's your cow and calf, Trix.' They were dreadfully afraid of me, though--I'm afraid they didn't recognize me as their mistress. I wanted to get down and pet the calf--it had the dearest little snub nose but they bolted, and wouldn't let me near them."

"I fancy they were not accustomed to meeting angels unawares."

"Sir Redmond, I wish you wouldn't. You are so much nicer when you're not trying to be nice."

"I'll act a perfect brute," he offered eagerly, "if that will make you love me."

"It's hardly worth trying. I think you would make a very poor sort of villain, Sir Redmond. You wouldn't even be picturesque."

Sir Redmond looked rather floored. He was a good fighter, was Sir Redmond, but he was clumsy at repartee--or, perhaps, he was too much in earnest to fence gracefully. Just now he looked particularly foolish.

"Don't you think my brand is pretty? You know what it is, don't you?"

"I'm afraid not," he owned. "I fancy I need a good bit of coaching in the matter of brands."

"Yes," agreed Beatrice, "I fancy you do. My brand is a Triangle Bar--like this." With a sharp pointed bit of rock she drew a more or less exact diagram in the yellow soil. "There are ever so many different brands belonging to the Northern Pool; Dick pointed them out to me, but I can't remember them. But whenever you see a Triangle Bar you'll be looking at my individual property. I think it was nice of Dick to give me a brand all my own. Mr. Cameron has a pretty brand, too--a Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross was owned at one time by President Roosevelt. Mr. Cameron bought it when he left college and went into the cattle business. He 'plays a lone hand,' as he calls it; but his cattle range with the Northern Pool, and he and Dick work together a great deal. I think he has lovely eyes,