"Church sociable som'er's ?" "No, dad." "What's going on ?" "Nothing in particular." "You certainly are sweet." Tom's bleak, gray face softened, then some vague regret peered forth from his eyes.

"Certainly are sweet, but--" "But what ?" The girl smiled up at him.
"Oh, I don't know--seems like you ain't quite the same boy you was.
You're changing lately, somehow.

Getting more like your mother every week.

I like that, of course," he said, quickly, "but--I'd like awful well to see you in your ranch clothes again.

I bet you've clean forgot how to ride and rope and--" "You know very well I haven't.