"Of course. I'm not, either." Then she glanced at him with mischief
scintillating in her dark eyes. "Fernando told me you were talking
with him this morning. I don't see that it has done you much good."

His perplexity was apparent in his silence.

"Fernando is--is polite," she asserted, wheeling her horse.

Corliss stood gazing at her unsmilingly. "I want to be," he said
presently.

"Oh, John! I--you always take things so seriously. I was just
'joshing' you, as Fernando says. Of course you do! Won't you shake
hands?"

He strode forward. The girl drew off her gauntlet and extended her
hand. "Let's begin over again," she said as he shook hands with her.
"We've both been acting."

Before she was aware of his intent, he bowed his head and kissed her
fingers. She drew her hand away with a little cry of surprise. She
was pleased, yet he mistook her expression.

He flushed and, confused, drew back. "I--I didn't mean it," he said,
as though apologizing for his gallantry.

The girl's eyes dilated for an instant. Then she laughed with all the
joyous _abandon_ of youth and absolute health. "You get worse and
worse," she said, teasingly. "Do go and have another talk with