The conductor of the train had shown himself affable.

The very brakeman had gone out of his way to apprise them, quite five minutes ahead of time, that "the next stop was their place." And at San Bruno the proprietor of the road-house himself hitched up to drive them over to the lake, announcing that he would call for them at "Richardson's" in time for the evening train.
"And he only asked me four bits for both trips," whispered Condy to Blix as they jogged along.
The country was beautiful.

It was hardly eight o'clock, and the morning still retained much of the brisk effervescence of the early dawn.

Great bare, rolling hills of gray-green, thinly scattered with live-oak, bore back from the road on either hand.

The sky was pale blue.