"
"Of Cardigan's Redwoods?" she questioned. He nodded. "I've heard of
you, I think," she continued. "I am Shirley Sumner."
"You do not live in Sequoia."
"No, but I'm going to hereafter. I was there about ten years ago."
He grinned and thrust out a great hand which she surveyed gravely for
a minute before inserting hers in it. "I wonder," he said, "if it is
to be my duty to give you a ride every time you come to Sequoia? The
last time you were there you wheedled me into giving you a ride on my
pony, an animal known as Midget. Do you, by any chance, recall that
incident?"
She looked up at him wonderingly. "Why--why you're the boy with the
beautiful auburn hair," she declared. He lifted his hat and revealed
his thick thatch in all its glory. "I'm not so sensitive about it
now," he explained. "When we first met, reference to my hair was apt
to rile me." He shook her little hand with cordial good-nature. "What
a pity it wasn't possible for us to renew acquaintance on the train,
Miss Sumner!"
"Better late than never, Mr. Cardigan, considering the predicament in
which you found me. What became of Midget?"
"Midget, I regret to state, made a little pig of herself one day and
died of acute indigestion. She ate half a sack of carrots, and
knowing full well that she was eating forbidden fruit, she bolted
them, and for her failure to Fletcherize--but speaking of
Fletcherizing, did you dine aboard the train?"
She nodded.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62