At the turn of the road, however, the quick trot stopped, and in a
moment a lady on a bay mare came pacing slowly into sight,--a young and
pretty lady, all in dark blue, with a bunch of dandelions like yellow
stars in her button-hole, and a silver-handled whip hanging from the
pommel of her saddle, evidently more for ornament than use. The
handsome mare limped a little and shook her head as if something
plagued her, while her mistress leaned down to see what was the matter,
saying, as if she expected an answer of some sort:
"Now, Chevalita, if you have got a stone in your foot, I shall have to
get off and take it out. Why don't you look where you step and save me
all this trouble?"
"I'll look for you, ma'am; I'd like to!" said an eager voice so
unexpectedly that both horse and rider started as a boy came down the
bank with a jump.
"I wish you would. You need not be afraid; Lita is as gentle as a
lamb," answered the young lady, smiling, as if amused by the boy's
earnestness.
"She's a beauty, anyway," muttered Ben, lifting one foot after another
till he found the stone, and with some trouble got it out.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62