As they rode down hill, Stafford stole a look at her unobserved. Ever
since he had left her yesterday her face had haunted him, even while
Maude Falconer, in all her war paint and sparkling with jewels, had
been singing, even in the silent watches of the night, when--strange
thing for him!--he had awakened from a dream of her; he had recalled
the exquisitely lovely face with its grave yet girlish eyes, and he
felt now, with a thrill, that she was even more lovely than she had
been in his thoughts and his dreams; that the nameless charm which had
haunted him was stronger, more subtle, than even his fancy had painted
it. He noticed the touch of colour just below her white slender column
of a neck, and wondered why no other woman had ever thought of wearing
a crimson tie with her habit.
"What a grand morning," he said. "I don't think I ever saw a morning
like this, so clear and bright; those hills there look as though they
were quite near."
"It's the rain," she explained. "It seems to wash the atmosphere. My
father says there is only one other place which has this particular
clearness and brightness after rain: and that's Ireland. There are the
sheep. Now," she smiled, "do you know how to count them?"
He stared at her.
"You begin at number one, I suppose," he said.
She smiled.
"But where is number one?"
She spoke to Donald in a low voice, then the collie began to work the
sheep up into a heap; Bess assisting with her sharp yap.
"Now they're ready," said Ida. "You must be quick."
Stafford began to count, but the sheep moved and the ones he had
counted got mixed up with the others, and he began again and yet again,
until he turned with a puzzled and furrowed brow.
"I can't count them," he said. "They won't keep still for a single
moment."
She turned to him with a smile.
"There are fifty-two," she said.
"Do you mean to say that you've counted them already?" he exclaimed.
"Yes; I could have counted them twice over by this time. Now, begin
again, and begin from the farthest row; and remember when you come to a
black one. Keep your eye on that one and start again front him. It's
quite easy when you know how." He began again.
"I make it forty-eight."
She shook her head and laughed.