Edgar Rice Burroughs

“ Eva stooped now and then to stroke a long, deep side.
“How clean they are!” exclaimed Shannon. “I thought pigs were dirty.”
“They are when they are kept in dirty places—the same as people.”
“They don’t smell badly; even the pens didn’t smell of pig. All I noticed was a heavy, sweet odor. What was it—something they feed them?”
Eva laughed.
“It was the pigs themselves. The more you know pigs, the better you love ’em. They’re radiant creatures!”
“You dear! You love everything, don’t you?” ”

“ Custer Pennington called to her.
“Miss Burke!”
She turned, her hand upon the knob of the door to the upstairs suite.
“I’m going to ride over the back ranch this afternoon. Eva showed you the Berkshires this morning; now I want to show you the Herefords. I told the stableman to saddle Baldy for you. Will half an hour be too soon?”
He was standing in the north arcade of the patio, a few yards from her, waiting for her reply. How fine and straight and clean he was! If fate had been less unkind, she might have been worthy of the friendship of such a man as he. ”

“ Once again she fought the fight that she had fought so many times of late—the fight that she knew she was ordained to lose before she started fighting. She longed to win it so earnestly that her defeat was the more pitiable. She was eager to prolong this new-found happiness to the uttermost limit. ”

“ He knew she must be at least a little lame and sore after the morning ride, but though he watched her face he saw no sign of it registered there.
“Game!”
He was going to like her. Stirrup to stirrup, they rode slowly up the lane toward the cañon road. Her form was perfect. She seemed to recall everything his father had told her, and she sat easily, with no stiffness.
“Don’t you want to ride faster?” she asked. “You needn’t poke along on my account.”
“It’s too hot,” he replied; but the real reason was that he knew she was probably suffering, even at a walk. ”

“ Pennington. “We’ve nearly killed you, I know. We are all so used to the long rides and walking and swimming and dancing that we don’t realize how they tire unaccustomed muscles. You go right to bed, my dear, and don’t think of getting up for breakfast.”
“Oh, but I want to get up and ride, if I may, and if Eva will wake me.”
“She’s got the real stuff in her,” commented the colonel, after Shannon had bid them good night and gone to her rooms. ”