rives. Are you agreeable--or
otherwise--Mr. Falkirk?'

'I have never made any professions of being agreeable, Miss
Hazel; and it never was charges to me, that I know.'

'No, sir, certainly,--not when rides are in question. But may I
use this horse, which has the misfortune to belong to somebody
else?'

'I suppose he wouldn't give it to you if it was not fit for
you to use,' said Mr. Falkirk, rather growlingly it must be
confessed. 'Does he expect you to ride it with anybody but
him, my dear?'

'As he made no mention of expecting me to ride with him, sir,
the question presents itself somewhat differently to my mind,'
said Miss Kennedy, with some heightening of colour. It had not
been a 'pale' morning, altogether. 'Having a horse, Mr.
Falkirk, may I ride with whom I like?'

'If the giver of the horse has no objections, Miss Hazel, I
make none.'

'I am afraid, sir, your long seclusion has slightly unsettled
your mind,' said Wych Hazel, looking at him with grave
consideration, 'There is no "giver" of the horse in the first
place; and in the second, you know perfectly well that with
his first "objection" to my escorts, the horse would go back.
And you used to be so exact, Mr. Falkirk!' she added, in a
melancholy tone.

'Yes, my dear,' said her guardian, passing his hand over his
face; 'no doubt my mind is in the condition you suggest. I am
probably enchanted; which does not help me to guard you from
falling into the same awkward condition. But, Miss Hazel, I
have engaged a new groom for you. I desire that you will take
him with you instead of Dingee. Dingee is no more than a
monkey.'

It fell out, however, that Miss Kennedy in the next few days
refused several 'escorts,' on her own responsibility; saying
nothing about Jeannie Deans. Instead whereof, she went off in
the early morning hours and had delightful long trots by
herself, with only the new groom; who, she did not happen to
remark, developed a remarkable familiarity with the new horse.
Threading her way among the beautiful woods of Chickaree,
wherever a bridle-path offered, and sure to be at home long
before Mr. Falkirk's arrival to breakfast, so that he knew
nothing whatever about the matter. Just why this course of
action was in favour, perhaps the young lady herself could
scarcely have told, had she tried; but she did not try.
Whether other associations would break the harmony of some
already well established; whether she feared people's
questions