Publisher's Synopsis
THE man bent his lips to hers again, and her arms stole about his neck. The calf, in themeantime, perhaps disgusted by such absurdities, had scampered off to try his brand-newlegs again, with the result that he ran into a low bush, turned a somersault, and landed onhis back. The mother, still doubtful of the intentions of the newcomers, to whosemalevolent presence she may have attributed the accident, voiced a perturbed low;whereupon there broke from the vicinity of the live oak a deep note, not unlike therumbling of distant thunder.The man looked up."I think we'll be going," he said. "The Emperor has issued an ultimatum.""Or a bull, perhaps," Grace suggested, as they walked quickly toward her horse."Awful!" he commented, as he assisted her into the saddle.Then he swung to his own.The Emperor moved majestically toward them, his nose close to the ground.Occasionally he stopped, pawing the earth and throwing dust upon his broad back."Doesn't he look wicked?" cried the girl. "Just look at those eyes!""He's just an old bluffer," replied the man. "However, I'd rather have you in the saddle, for you can't always be sure just what they'll do. We must call his bluff, though; it wouldnever do to run from him-might give him bad habits."He rode toward the advancing animal, breaking into a canter as he drew near the bull, and striking his booted leg with a quirt."Hi, there, you old reprobate! Beat it!" he cried.The bull stood his ground with lowered head and rumbled threats until the horsemanwas almost upon him; then he turned quickly aside as the rider went past."That's better," remarked Custer, as the girl joined him."You're not a bit afraid of him, are you, Custer? You're not afraid of anything.""Oh, I wouldn't say that," he demurred. "I learned a long time ago that most encountersconsist principally of bluff. Maybe I've just grown to be a good bluffer. Anyhow, I'm a betterbluffer than the Emperor. If the rascal had only known it, he could have run me ragged
