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the boy began to feel fatigue； or cold； or any other discomfort； his
tutor took measures accordingly。
Harry would have crept into the straw…house； but Hugh said； pulling
a book out of his pocket；
〃I have a poem here for you； Harry。 I want to read it to you now；
and we can't see in there。〃
They threw themselves down on the straw； and Hugh； opening a volume
of Robert Browning's Poems； read the famous ride from Ghent to Aix。
He knew the poem well； and read it well。 Harry was in raptures。
〃I wish I could read that as you do；〃 said he。
〃Try；〃 said Hugh。
Harry tried the first verse； and threw the book down in disgust with
himself。
〃Why cannot I read it？〃 said he。
〃Because you can't ride。〃
〃I could ride； if I had such a horse as that to ride upon。〃
〃But you could never have such a horse as that except you could
ride； and ride well； first。 After that； there is no saying but you
might get one。 You might； in fact； train one for yourselftill
from being a little foal it became your own wonderful horse。〃
〃Oh！ that would be delightful！ Will you teach me horses as well；
Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃Perhaps I will。〃
That evening； at dinner； Hugh said to Mr。 Arnold：
〃Could you let me have a horse to…morrow morning； Mr。 Arnold？〃
Mr。 Arnold stared a little； as he always did at anything new。 But
Hugh went on：
〃Harry and I want to have a ride to…morrow； and I expect we shall
like it so much； that we shall want to ride very often。〃
〃Yes； that we shall！〃 cried Harry。
〃Could not Mr。 Sutherland have your white mare； Euphra？〃 said Mr。
Arnold； reconciled at once to the proposal。
〃I would rather not； if you don't mind； uncle。 My Fatty is not used
to such a burden as I fear Mr。 Sutherland would prove。 She drops a
little now； on the hard road。〃
The fact was； Euphra would want Fatima。
〃Well； Harry；〃 said Mr。 Arnold； graciously pleased to be facetious；
〃don't you think your Welsh dray…horse could carry Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃Ha！ ha！ ha！ Papa； do you know； Mr。 Sutherland set him up on his
hind legs yesterday； and made him walk on them like a dancing…dog。
He was going to lift him； but he kicked about so when he felt
himself leaving the ground； that he tumbled Mr。 Sutherland into the
horse…trough。〃
Even the solemn face of the butler relaxed into a smile； but Mr。
Arnold's clouded instead。 His boy's tutor ought to be a gentleman。
〃Wasn't it fun； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃It was to you； you little rogue！〃 said Sutherland； laughing。
〃And how you did run home； dripping like a water…cart！and all the
dogs after you！〃
Mr。 Arnold's monotonous solemnity soon checked Harry's prattle。
〃I will see； Mr。 Sutherland； what I can do to mount you。〃
〃I don't care what it is；〃 said Hugh； who though by no means a
thorough horseman； had been from boyhood in the habit of mounting
everything in the shape of a horse that he could lay hands upon；
from a cart…horse upwards and downwards。
〃There's an old bay that would carry me very well。〃
〃That is my own horse； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
This stopped the conversation in that direction。 But next morning
after breakfast； an excellent chestnut horse was waiting at the
door； along with Harry's new pony。 Mr。 Arnold would see them go
off。 This did not exactly suit Miss Cameron； but if she frowned； it
was when nobody saw her。 Hugh put Harry up himself； told him to
stick fast with his knees； and then mounted his chestnut。 As they
trotted slowly down the avenue； Euphrasia heard Mr。 Arnold say to
himself； 〃The fellow sits well； at all events。〃 She took care to
make herself agreeable to Hugh by reporting this； with the omission
of the initiatory epithet； however。
Harry returned from his ride rather tired； but in high spirits。
〃Oh； Euphra！〃 he cried； 〃Mr。 Sutherland is such a rider！ He jumps
hedges and ditches and everything。 And he has promised to teach me
and my pony to jump too。 And if I am not too tired； we are to begin
to…morrow； out on the common。 Oh！ jolly！〃
The little fellow's heart was full of the sense of growing life and
strength； and Hugh was delighted with his own success。 He caught
sight of a serpentine motion in Euphra's eyebrows； as she bent her
face again over the work from which she had lifted it on their
entrance。 He addressed her。
〃You will be glad to hear that Harry has ridden like a man。〃
〃I am glad to hear it； Harry。〃
Why did she reply to the subject of the remark； and not to the
speaker？ Hugh perplexed himself in vain to answer this question；
but a very small amount of experience would have made him able to
understand at once as much of her behaviour as was genuine。 At
luncheon she spoke only in reply； and then so briefly； as not to
afford the smallest peg on which to hang a response。
〃What can be the matter？〃 thought Hugh。 〃What a peculiar creature
she is！ But after what has passed between us； I can't stand this。〃
When dinner was over that evening； she rose as usual and left the
room； followed by Hugh and Harry； but as soon as they were in the
drawing…room； she left it； and； returning to the dining…room；
resumed her seat at the table。
〃Take a glass of claret； Euphra； dear？〃 said Mr。 Arnold。
〃I will； if you please； uncle。 I should like it。 I have seldom a
minute with you alone now。〃
Evidently flattered； Mr。 Arnold poured out a glass of claret； rose
and carried it to his niece himself； and then took a chair beside
her。
〃Thank you； dear uncle；〃 she said； with one of her bewitching
flashes of smile。
〃Harry has been getting on bravely with his riding； has he not？〃 she
continued。
〃So it would appear。〃
Harry had been full of the story of the day at the dinner…table；
where he still continued to present himself； for his father would
not be satisfied without hint。 It was certainly good moral training
for the boy； to sit there almost without eating； and none the worse
that he found it rather hard sometimes。 He talked much more freely
now； and asked the servants for anything he wanted without referring
to Euphra。 Now and then he would glance at her； as if afraid of
offending her； but the cords which bound him to her were evidently
relaxing； and she saw it plainly enough； though she made no
reference to the unpleasing fact。
〃I am only a little fearful； uncle； lest Mr。 Sutherland should urge
the boy to do more than his strength will admit of。 He is
exceedingly kind to him； but he has evidently never known what
weakness is himself。〃
〃True； there is danger of that。 But you see he has taken him so
entirely into his own hands。 I don't seem to be allowed a word in
the matter of his education any more。〃 Mr。 Arnold spoke with the
peevishness of weak importance。 〃I wish you would take care that he
does not carry things too far； Euphra。〃
This was just what Euphra wanted。
〃I think； if you do not disapprove； uncle； I will have Fatima
saddled to…morrow morning； and go with them myself。〃
〃Thank you； my love； I shall be much obliged to you。〃 The glass of
claret was soon finished after this。 A little more conversation
about nothing followed； and Euphra rose the second time； and
returned to the drawing…room。 She found it unoccupied。 She sat
down to the piano； and sang song after songScotch； Italian； and
Bohemian。 But Hugh did not make his appearance。 The fact was； he
was busy writing to his mother； whom he had rather neglected since
he came。 Writing to her made him think of David； and he began a
letter to him too； but it was never finished； and never sent。 He
did not return to the drawing…room that evening。 Indeed； except for
a short time； while Mr。 Arnold was drinking his claret； he seldom
showed himself there。 Had Euphra repelled him too muchhurt him？
She would make up for it to…morrow。
Breakfast was scarcely over； when the chestnut and the pony passed
the window； accompanied by a lovely little Arab mare； broad…chested
and light…limbed； with a wonderfully small head。 She was white as
snow； with keen； dark eyes。 Her curb…rein was red instead of white。
Hearing their approach； and begging her uncle to excuse her； Euphra
rose from the table； and left the room； but re…appeared in a
wonderfully little while； in a well…fitted riding…habit of black
velvet； with a belt of dark red leather clasping a waist of the
roundest and smallest。 Her little hat； likewise black； had a single
long； white feather； laid horizontally within the upturned brim； and
drooping over it at the back。 Her white mare would be just the
right pedestal for the dusky figureblack eyes； tawny skin； and
all。 As she stood ready to mount； and Hugh was approaching to put
her up； she called the groom； seemed just to touch his hand； and was
in the saddle in a moment； foot in stirrup； and skirt falling over
it。 Hugh thought she was carrying out the behaviour of yesterday；
and was determined to ask her what it meant。 The little Arab began
to rear and plunge with pride； as soon as she felt her mistress on
her back； but she seemed as much at home as if she had been on the
music…stool； and patted her arching neck； talking to her in the same
tone almost in which she had addressed the flowers。
〃Be quiet； Fatty dear； you're frightening Mr。 Su