But there are times when we're alone, and Pedro wheels down so near with SUCH a look in his black eyes, that I'm all in a tremble.

It's dreadful! They say he's a real Briones,--and he sometimes says something in Spanish, ending with 'senorita,' but I pretend I don't understand." "And I suppose that if anything should happen to the ponies, he'd just risk his life to save you." "Yes,--and it would be so awful,--for I just hate him!" "But if I was with you, dear, he couldn't expect you to be as grateful as if you were alone.

Susy!" she continued after a pause, "if you just stirred up the ponies a little so as to make 'em go fast, perhaps he might think they'd got away from you, and come dashing down here.

It would be so funny to see him,--wouldn't it ?" The two girls looked at each other; their eyes sparkled already with a fearful joy,--they drew a long breath of guilty anticipation.

For a moment Susy even believed in her imaginary sketch of Pedro's devotion.
"Papa said I wasn't to use the whip except in a case of necessity," she said, reaching for the slender silver-handled toy, and setting her pretty lips together with the added determination of disobedience.
"G'long!"-- and she laid the lash smartly on the shining backs of the animals.
They were wiry, slender brutes of Mojave Indian blood, only lately broken to harness, and still undisciplined in temper.