"You fellows talk too damn much," said a voice behind them. It was Cory Blaine, and he was scowling angrily. "Shake a leg now and get them horses caught up and saddled. We can't hang around here all day making funny cracks."
"Will you see that they get me a nice, gentle horse?" said Marvel.
"Sure, I'll fetch him up a nice, gentle one," said Butts. "There's old Crowhop, for instance."
"You ride Crowhop yourself," said Blaine. "Fetch up Baldy for Mr. Marvel. Baldy is all right," he said turning to his guest, "except that he always wants to take a few jumps the first thing in the morning. I'll top him for you myself, and after that he'll be as gentle as a kitten."
"Thanks," said Marvel. "I certainly shouldn't care to ride a bad horse."
"No, polo ponies don't buck, I guess," said Blaine.
––––––––
IV
KAY WHITE
THE other guests arrived at the corral by the time the horses were saddled, those who were going on the hunt being dressed, each according to his own ideas of what was either comfortable or proper. Bert Adams from Boston and Dora Crowell from Philadelphia might have crept out of the latest Western movie thriller. Mrs. Talbot, who also acted as unofficial chaperon, was resplendent in khaki knickers, white stockings, and high heeled laced shoes, with a silk shirt-waist, and coat to match her breeches, her only acknowledgment to the wild, wild west being a colored bandana tied about her neck and a Stetson hat, that was a size too small for her, perched on top of her bobbed locks. Benson Talbot was dressed for golf, while Kay White still clung to her overalls and workshirt, to which she had added a broad brimmed Stetson and a leather coat, for the chill of the Arizona night was still in the air.
As the cowhands led their horses out, Cory Blaine took Baldy from the corral and mounted him. The horse made a couple of jumps and then ran for a few hundred yards, after which he trotted docilely back to the corral.
Of course, every one had watched the topping of Baldy. Kay White was standing beside Marvel. "Isn't he a marvelous horseman," she said.
The man glanced quickly down at her. "Wonderful!" he said.
"He's perfectly safe now," said Blaine, reining in beside Marvel and dismounting.
"Thanks awfully," said Marvel. "But say, haven't you got an English saddle?"
Blaine looked at him with a pitying expression that he tried to conceal. "No, Mister," he said.
"I thought I'd ask," said Marvel. "You see I might not be able to ride in one of these cowboy saddles."
"Oh, you'll get used to it," said Kay. "I ride a flat saddle at home most of the time, but I found that if you can ride a flat saddle you can ride anything."
"I wish I had brought my own saddle," said Marvel.
"I'm glad he didn't," said Butts in a low tone to Dora Crowell. "He is sure funny enough now, and if he'd brung that I'd like as not have laughed myself to death."
"Perhaps he will be all right," said Dora, "when he becomes accustomed to our ways. He doesn't seem to be a half bad sort of a fellow."
"He's too fresh," said Butts.
Naturally all eyes were upon Marvel as he mounted Baldy. With few exceptions they were hoping that the horse would pitch a little, but he did not. Marvel mounted a little awkwardly, caught his knee on the cantle of the saddle and then sat on it, afterward slipping down into the seat. He also appeared to have trouble in finding his right hand stirrup.
"Good bye, Kay, and be careful of snakes," called Miss Pruell to her niece, as the party moved away, "and please be sure that she has enough covers at night, Mrs. Talbot."
"Good bye, Aunt Abbie," called the girl. "I wish you were coming with us."
"Heaven forbid I" exclaimed Miss Pruell. "It is quite bad enough here, without riding horseback all day in search of further discomfort."
"Your aunt has a lot of sense," said Marvel; "a lot more than we have."
"You don't expect to have a good time then?" she asked.
"I wouldn't say that exactly," he said, his eyes upon her fresh, young beauty, "but at that nobody with good sense would choose to sleep on the ground if he could sleep in a bed."
"Oh, you'll like it after you get used to it," she told him.
"Perhaps," was his only comment.
Presently Blaine broke into a trot; and as the others took up the gait, Marvel forged a little ahead of Kay White and she noted, to her dismay, that he rode awkwardly; in fact, his form seemed almost an exact replica of that adopted by Birdie Talbot, who rode just ahead of him. It seemed a pity, she thought; he was so nice looking. His smooth, sunburned face and clear eyes suggested a life spent much out of doors; and when she had seen him in his riding clothes she had been quite certain that he would prove himself a good horseman, in spite of the incongruity of his apparel.
"How am I doing?" he asked, as she moved up to his side.
"Will you mind if I tell you?" she asked.
"Certainly not. I'd like to have you."
"Then, hold your reins in your left hand," she said, "and don't lean forward so much."
"That is the new army seat," he explained.
"I can't help what it is. I don't like it," she said. "Let your feet hang naturally. Don't carry them back, and whatever you do don't try to post in a stock saddle. Your stirrups are much too long for that, and besides they are not far enough forward."
"I'm riding just like Mrs. Talbot," he said.
"Well for heaven's sake, don't copy her. She was never on a horse before in her life until she came here two weeks ago."
"Is this better?"
"Keep your seat. Don't bounce so."
"I'm trying not to," he said.
"Look at that damn dude," said Butts to one of the other cowhands, who was riding with him in rear of the party. "Polo, my foot! I don't believe that guy ever seen a horse before."
"Him and Birdie must have takin' riding lessons from the same correspondence school," said his companion.
"Well, Birdie is a woman; and you can't expect nuthin' from them," said Butts, "but it sure gives me a pain to see anything that calls itself a man ride like that."
"They is all a bunch of freaks," said the other. "I'd sure hate to have my poor old paw see me with this outfit."
"Look at Bert ride. I'll bet he's got corns now."
"When he gets back to Boston he'll have to eat off the mantlepiece."
"Well, I don't mind the others so much," said Butts. "I got kinda used to 'em; but that dude that blew in last night, him and me aint goin' to be no pals. Every time I look at his panties I want to hit him."
"Why don't you then? He invited you to."
"I can't on Cory's account. We got to treat a payin' customer decent whether we like him or not. But I'm goin' to get that guy just the same, only he won't know who done it."
"I never took no college degree," replied his companion, "but if I know anything, I know enough not to monkey with a guy with eyes like that dude."
"Looks don't mean nuthin' with them Eastern dudes," said Butts; "that's all they got."
For three days the party rode deeper into a wilderness of mountains and meadows until they reached their destination, a tiny