withstand. It was with the same fascinating self-confidence of smile,
voice, and manner that he rode up to the boy, and leaning lightly over
his saddle, said with exaggerated politeness: "I believe I have the
pleasure of addressing Mr. Leonidas Boone?"
The rising color in Leonidas's face was apparently a sufficient
answer to the stranger, for he continued smilingly, "Then permit me to
introduce myself as Mr. James Belcher. As you perceive, I have grown
considerably since you last saw me. In fact, I've done nothing else.
It's surprising what a fellow can do when he sets his mind on one thing.
And then, you know, they're always telling you that San Francisco is a
'growing place.' That accounts for it!"
Leonidas, dazed, dazzled, but delighted, showed all his white teeth in a
shy laugh. At which the enchanting stranger leaped from his horse like
a very boy, drew his arm through the rein, and going up to Leonidas,
lifted the boy's straw hat from his head and ran his fingers through his
curls. There was nothing original in that--everybody did that to him as
a preliminary to conversation. But when this ingenuous fine gentleman
put his own Panama hat on Leonidas's head, and clapped Leonidas's torn
straw on his own, and, passing his arm through the boy's, began to walk
on with him, Leonidas's simple heart went out to him at once.
"And now, Leon," said the delightful stranger, "let's you and me have
a talk. There's a nice cool spot under these laurels; I'll stake out
Pepita, and we'll just lie off there and gab, and not care if school
keeps or not."
"But you know you ain't really Jim Belcher," said the boy shyly.
"I'm as good a man as he is any day, whoever I am," said the stranger,
with humorous defiance, "and can lick him out of his boots, whoever HE
is. That ought to satisfy you. But if you want my certificate, here's
your own letter, old man," he said, producing Leonidas's last scrawl
from his pocket.
"And HERS?" said the boy cautiously.
The stranger's face changed a little. "And HERS," he repeated gravely,
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