Steve waited for no more. His days of waiting were past. He drew back, swung from the shoulder and struck with all of his might. His fist against Doan's chin hurled the lean body of the cattle-buyer half across the street.
"Barbee," said Steve quietly, "round up the boys. We start our herd back in ten minutes."
And Barbee, taking stock of Steve's white face, went hastily on his errand.
"Dear me, Mr. Man! How savage you do look!"
Steve started and whirled. No; this time he was not dreaming. It was Terry.
Terry laughed lightly, deliciously. She had grown prettier. She had learned a new way to smile. No, it was just the old way, after all. But she had discovered a new way to do her hair, an amazingly charming way. Her lips were redder than ever before; her eyes were gayer and grayer and softer and sweeter. Her voice tinkled with new, thrilling music. She was just exactly perfect in Steve Packard's eyes.
"You're super," said Steve. "You're superlative. You haven't done a thing all these long, weary months except grow more devilishly attractive."
"Are you as savage as you looked?" she asked swiftly.
For a brief instant he turned his eyes away from her and gazed after a herd that was moving slowly toward the north, Barbee and the other boys heading again toward the home range. But, no matter what rage and sullen chagrin lay in his heart, his eyes, returning to Terry, showed that already her coming had worked its change. He appeared almost content.
"Are you going to shake hands?" he asked.
"Shall I?" she asked. "We are to be good friends after all?"
Terry arched her brows at him. But there was a live fire in her eyes and a crimsoning tide under her lovely skin.
"Smarty!" cried the old Terry. "Just try getting fresh with me and you'll get your face slapped!"
Whereupon Steve's laughter boomed out joyously.
"It's Terry come home again!" he announced to the open meadow about them. "Terry herself."
Was it Terry herself? She seemed strangely embarrassed all of a sudden. Just why? Terry didn't know.
"We are going out in my car," she said hurriedly. It seemed that she must hasten to make some safe remark each time that his eyes, busied with her, rested upon her eyes. "We'll be at the ranch long before you get your cows home. You may come to see me--if you please to."