Joan nodded. All the time he was speaking she had been studying him, watching the play of expression upon his mobile features rather than paying due attention to his words.
She decided that she liked the look of him. It was not that he was particularly handsome. He seemed so strong, and yet so--so unconcerned. She wondered if that were only his manner. She knew that often volcanic natures, reckless, were hidden under a perfect calm. She wondered if it were so in his case. His eyes were so full of a brilliant dark light. Yes, surely this man roused might be an interesting personality. She remembered him last night. She remembered the strange, superheated fire in those same eyes when he had hurled the gold at her feet. Yes, she felt sure a tremendous force lay behind his calmness of manner.
The man's thoughts were far less analytical. His was not the nature to search the psychology of a beautiful girl. To him Joan was the most wonderful thing on earth. She was something to be reverenced, to be worshipped. His imagination, fired by all his youthful impulse, endowed her with every gift that the mind of simple manhood could conceive, every virtue, every beauty of mind as well as body.
Joan watched him for some moments as he continued his work. It was wonderful how easy he made it seem, how quickly it was done. She even found herself regretting that in a few minutes the morning "chores" would be finished, and this man would be away to--where?
"You must have been up very early to get over here," she said designedly. Her girlish curiosity and interest could no longer be denied. She must find out what he was and what he did for a living.
"I'm mostly up early," he replied simply.
"Yes, of course. But--you have your own--stock to see to?"
She felt quite pleased with her cunning. But her pleasure was short-lived.
"Sure," he returned, with disarming frankness.
"It really doesn't seem fair that you should have the double work," she went on, with another attempt to penetrate his reserve.
Buck's smile was utterly baffling. He walked to the door of the barn and gave a prolonged, low whistle. Then he came back.
"It sure wouldn't be fair if I didn't," he said simply.
"But you must have heaps to do on your--farm," Joan went on, feeling that she was on the right track at last "Look at what you're doing for me. These horses, the cattle, the--the pigs and things. I've no doubt you have much more to see to of your own."