I followed, not having spoken.
At the end of the porch I caught up with Steele and walked out into the moonlight beside him.
Just why I did not now reveal my identity I could not say, for certainly I was bursting with the desire to surprise him, to earn his approval.

He loomed dark above me, appearing not to be aware of my presence.

What a cold, strange proposition this Ranger was! Still, remembering the earnestness of his talk to Miss Sampson, I could not think him cold.

But I must have thought him so to any attraction of those charming girls.
Suddenly, as we passed under the shade of cottonwoods, he clamped a big hand down on my shoulder.
"My God, Russ, isn't she lovely!" he ejaculated.
In spite of my being dumbfounded I had to hug him.

He knew me! "Thought you didn't swear!" I gasped.
Ridiculously those were my first words to Vaughn Steele.
"My boy, I saw you parading up and down the street looking for me," he said.