She paused and looked at him enquiringly. "You said just now that you
had no brother, no one to help you. Will you let me help you? will you
let me stand in the place of a friend, of a brother?"
She looked at him with frank surprise; and most men would have been
embarrassed and confused by the steady, astonished regard of the violet
eyes; but Stafford was too eager to get her consent to care for the
amusement that was mixed with the expression of surprise.
"Why--how could you help me?" she said at last; "even if--"
--"You'd let me," he finished for her. "Well, I'm not particularly
clever, but I've got sense enough to count sheep and drive cows; and I
can break in colts, train dogs, and, if I'm obliged, I daresay I could
drive a plough."
Her eyes wandered thoughtfully, abstractedly down the dale; but she was
listening and thinking.
"Of course I should have a lot to learn, but I'm rather quick at
picking up things, and--"
"Are you joking, Mr. Orme?" she broke in.
"Joking? I was never more serious in my life," he said, eagerly, and
yet with an attempt to conceal his earnestness.
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