"Bear, I judge from the question. I came in search of you."
There was no answer, and the man came in and sat down on the corner of a box. "You seem to be very busy," he said.
The girl went on with her packing. "Yes, rather busy," she said indifferently.
Ben dangled one long leg over the side of the box.
"Are you too busy to take a ride with me? I want to talk with you."
"I'm pretty busy," non-committally.
"Suppose I should ask it as a favor?"
"Suppose I should decline?"
The long leg stopped its swinging. "You wouldn't, though."
The girl's brown eyes flashed. "How do you know I wouldn't?"
Ben stood up and folded his arms. "Because it would be the first favor I ever asked of you, and you wouldn't refuse that."
They eyed each other a moment.
"Where do you want to go?" temporized Florence.
"Anywhere, so it's with you."
"You don't want to stay long?"
"I'll come back whenever you say."
Florence rolled down her sleeves and sighed with assumed regret. "I ought to stay here and work."
"I'll help you when we come back, if you like."
"Very well." She said it hesitatingly.
"All right. I'll get your horse ready for you."
Scotty watched them peculiarly, Molly doubtfully, as they rode out of the ranch yard; but neither made any comment, and they moved away in silence.
"That's an odd looking pony you've got there," remarked the girl critically, when they had turned into the half-beaten trail which led south. "How does it happen you're on him instead of the other?"
Ben patted the smooth neck before him, and the pony twitched his ears appreciatively.
"Buckskin and I had the misfortune not to meet until lately. We just got acquainted a few days ago."
The girl glanced at her companion quickly and caught the look upon his face.
"I believe you're fonder of your horses and cattle and things than you are of people," she flashed.
The man's hand continued patting the pony's yellow neck.
"More fond than I am of some people, maybe you meant to say."
"Perhaps so," she conceded.
"Yes, I think I am," he admitted. "They're more worthy. They never abuse a kindness, and never come down to the insult of class distinctions. They're the same to-day, to-morrow, a year from now. They'll work themselves to death for you, instead of sacrificing you to their personal gain. Yes, they make better friends than some people."
Florence smiled as she glanced at her companion.
"Is that what you want to tell me? If it is, seeing I've just made my choice and decided to return to civilization and mingle with human beings of whom you have such a poor opinion, I think we may as well go back. Mamma and I have been racking our brains for two days to find a place for the china, and I've just thought of one."