His majordomo he would see, as speedily as
was convenient to a man as full of ranch business as Dade Hunter found
himself.
Dade, tired and hot from a forenoon in the saddle inspecting the
horses that were to bear the burden of rodeo work, presently
came clanking up to the porch and lifted the sombrero off his
sweat-dampened forehead thankfully, when the shade of the vines
enveloped him.
The eyes of the don dwelt pleasedly upon the tanned face of his
foreman. More and more Don Andres was coming to value the keen
common-sense which is so rare, and which distinguished Dade's
character almost as much as did the kindliness that made nearly every
man his friend.
The don had already fallen into the habit of presenting his orders
under the guise of ideas that needed the confirmation of the
majordomo, before they became definite plans; and it speaks much for
those two that neither of them suspected that it was so. Thus, Don
Andres' solution of the problem of preserving peace became the subject
for a conference that lasted more than an hour. The don was absolutely
candid; so candid that he spoke upon a delicate subject, and one that
carried a sting of which he little dreamed.
"One factor I cannot help recognizing," he said slowly. "I am not
blind, nor is the senora blind, to the--the--friendship that is
growing between Senor Jack and our daughter. We had hoped--but we have
long been resolved that in matters of the heart, our daughter shall
choose for herself so long as she does not choose one altogether
unworthy; which we do not fear, for to that extent we can protect her
by admitting to our friendship only those in whose characters we have
some confidence.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149