“You will come over and see us.  It is a long time since we had a visit from anybody from England,” she said.  “Are you pleased with this country?”

Miss Deringham glanced at Alton.  “I grow almost enthusiastic about it at times,” she said.  “Its inhabitants are also especially kind.”

The man did not, however, respond as he might have done.  “It’s a tolerably good country,” he said gravely, and then glanced at the stranger.  “Nothing wrong at the ranch, I hope, Miss Nellie?”

“No,”, said the girl.  “We have, however, heard that Jack is seriously ill, and I rode over because the spotted steer has broken away, and I found the trail led into the Somasco valley.  It was one of the beasts father was sending down to sell.”

Alton became suddenly intent.  “Then it has not gone far.  I saw its trail an hour ago,” he said.  “Well, we must head the beast off before it gets into the thick timber under the range, and there’s no time to lose.  I’ll be ready in two minutes.  Would you like to follow with Charley, Miss Deringham?”

The time had scarcely been exceeded when he led a horse out of the stable, held his hand out for Miss Townshead to mount by, and then swung himself to the saddle.  Then he and the girl swung across the clearing at a gallop, and Alice Deringham endeavoured to assure herself that she was not angry.  It appeared that her angling was of considerably less importance than the capture of the steer.

It was possibly for this reason that she was unusually gracious to Seaforth, who came along just then, and though evidently in some haste, stopped to talk to her; while when she had promised to accompany him to witness the chase, and he strode away towards the stable, her father sauntered out of the house and glanced in her direction whimsically.

“It occurs to me that one of us is responsible for some irregularity in the work upon this ranch, and that the beast it a trifle uncertain in his moods,” said he.

“It is,” said his daughter, “a little difficult to understand you.”

Deringham pointed to the two mounted figures just entering the brush, and the girl fancied that something had ruffled him.  He could be unpleasant when that happened.

“Alton of Somasco is a somewhat busy man, but both he and his partner seem to have suspended their energies this morning,” he said.  “No doubt wild-beast taming has its fascination, but one might fancy it was apt to prove a somewhat disconcerting and perilous amusement.”

“Yes?” said the girl in a tone of languid inquiry.

Deringham nodded.  “One can never tell when the beast may revert to his primitive instincts, and do something unpleasant,” he said.  “This one is also evidently of somewhat uncertain temperament.  We are told that Una had a lion, but the effect of the story would have been diminished if it had been recorded that the king of the forest divided his allegiance.”