He was not wholly dissatisfied, for he trusted that henceforward her head would be full of him, and he had not much hoped to gain more in a first effort.

“I shall always be proud and gratified at the compliment you have paid me,” was her reply to his last request.

“You deserve many such compliments,” he said, gravely courteous and quite sincere.

Then they cantered back in silence to meet the advancing train.

Yes, Coronado was partly satisfied.  He believed that he had gained a firmer footing among the girl’s thoughts and emotions than had been gained by Thurstane.  In a degree he was right.  No sensitive, and pure, and good girl can receive her first offer without being much moved by it.  The man who has placed himself at her feet will affect her strongly.  She may begin to dread him, or begin to like him more than before; but she cannot remain utterly indifferent to him.  The probability is that, unless subsequent events make him disagreeable to her, she will long accord him a measure of esteem and gratitude.

For two or three days, while Clara was thinking much of Coronado, he gave her less than usual of his society.  Believing that her mind was occupied with him, that she was wondering whether he were angry, unhappy, etc., he remained a good deal apart, wrapped himself in sadness, and trusted that time would do much for him.  Had there been no rival, the plan would have been a good one; but Ralph Thurstane being present, it was less successful.

Ralph had already become more of a favorite than any one knew, even the young lady herself; and now that he found chances for long talks and short gallops with her, he got on better than ever.  He was just the kind of youngster a girl of eighteen would naturally like to have ride by her side.  He was handsome; at any rate, he was the handsomest man she had seen in the desert, and the desert was just then her sphere of society.  You could see in his figure how strong he was, and in his face how brave he was.  He was a good fellow, too; “tendir and trew” as the Douglas of the ballad; sincere, frank, thoroughly truthful and honorable.  Every way he seemed to be that being that a woman most wants, a potential and devoted protector.  Whenever Clara looked in his face her eyes said, without her knowledge, “I trust you.”

Now, as we have already stated, Thurstane’s eyes were uncommonly fine and expressive.  Of the very darkest blue that ever was seen in anybody’s head, and shaded, moreover, by remarkably long chestnut lashes, they had the advantages of both blue eyes and black ones, being as gentle as the one and as fervent as the other.  Accordingly, a sort of optical conversation commenced between the two young people.  Every time that Clara’s glance said, “I trust you,” Thurstane’s responded, “I will die for you.”  It was a perilous sort of dialogue, and liable to involve the two souls which looked out from these sparkling, transparent windows.  Before long the Lieutenant’s modest heart took courage, and his stammering tongue began to be loosed somewhat, so that he uttered things which frightened both him and Clara.  Not that the remarks were audacious in themselves, but he was conscious of so much unexpressed meaning behind them, and she was so ready to guess that there might be such a meaning!