"Bully! Beautiful country!" He was enthusiastic.
"How these healthy animals eat!" I thought as I observed him occasionally.
"Wish I could go with you," I said, but half-heartedly.
"I'll get the lay of the land quick enough," he replied.
The rascal! Not a word about the girl that morning, or the next, or until Thursday morning. If only I had known! But Fate knows her business better than I do, and she was handling the affair. But long rides of a morning with a pretty girl are not safe for any bachelor.
Thursday morning he came in late. He dropped something on the table. On inspection I found it to be a woman's handkerchief purse.
"Where the deuce did you get that?" I asked, mighty curious.
"By George! but I've been enjoying the most enchanting adventure; such as you read out of a book. I'm inclined to believe that I shall enjoy my studies in old Barscheit."
"But where did you get this?" If there was a girl around, I wanted to know all about it.
"_She_ dropped it!" I repeated. "What she? Why, you old tow-head, have you been flirting at this hour of the morning?"
"Ha! the ideal at last,"--ironically. "Blonde, of course."
"Dark as a Spaniard, and rides like Diana." His enthusiasm was not to be lightly passed over.
"Never heard of Diana riding," said I; "always saw her pictured as going afoot."
"Don't be an ass! You know very well what I mean."
"I've no argument to offer, nor any picture to prove my case. You've had an adventure; give it up, every bit of it."
"One of the finest horsewomen I ever saw. Took a wall three feet high the other morning, just to see if I dared follow. Lucky Dandy is a hunter, or I'd have broken my neck."
"Very interesting." Then of a sudden a thought flashed through my head and out again. "Anybody with her?"
"Yes; I told her mine. Who is Hildegarde von Heideloff?"
"Heideloff?" I was puzzled. My suspicions evaporated. "I can't say that I know any one by that name. Sure it was Heideloff?"
"Do you mean to tell me," with blank astonishment, "that there is a petticoat on horseback in this duchy that you do not know?"
"I don't know any woman by the name of Hildegarde von Heideloff; on my word of honor, Max, I don't."
Bauer? All my suspicions returned. "Describe the girl to me."