said Miss Lavinia, beginning, in
spite of herself, to realize difficulties. "We do not know who might
drop in here."

"Very well," said Martin, decisively, looking at his watch. "I have it!
Timothy is off to-day; I will harness the grays to the stanhope, as we
can't wait to send to the stable, and we will drive over the back way by
the Ridge and be home again by dinner time. The rector of All Saints' was
a classmate of mine, and I met him again only the other day, so we shall
have no trouble there."

"Are you sure you can harness the horses properly?" asked Miss Lavinia,
with characteristic caution, and then smiling at herself, as Martin
hurried off to the stable.

* * * * *

In less than twenty minutes the sober gray horses turned out of the
stable yard and up the road upon the most remarkable trip of their
career. Nothing strange was noticeable about the turnout, except that the
traces hung a trifle loose, and that the occupants sat unusually far back
under the hood for so pleasant an afternoon. That is, until after they
had passed Martha's house in the lane and turned into the unfrequented
back highway, then they both leaned forward, gave a sigh of relief, and,
looking at each other, laughed aloud.

"Do you realize that we are eloping, like runaway school children?" said
Miss Lavinia, "we two hitherto sober-minded Knickerbockers?"

"I realize that I like what we are doing very much, whatever it may be
called," replied Martin, "and that it is very considerate of you to spare
me and do it in this way. The conventional affair is very hard on a man
of my years, all of whose contemporaries are either bald or rheumatic;
besides, now I think of it, it is merely carrying out the ever-present
precedent. My father's great-great-grand father and mother eloped in
1689 from Staten Island to the Bouerie, and the boat upset when they
were going back."

"Mercy on us!" exclaimed Miss Lavinia, "I hope we shall not upset! I
wonder if the wheels are on securely. I thought I heard something rattle.
There it is again."

As they reached the bottom of the long hill, Martin let the reins hang
loose on the horses' necks and, lowering the hood, looked back to see if
he could find the cause of the jolting sound, accompanied by panting, as
of a dog running. Then he gave an exclamation of impatience, and pulled
the horses up short, for there, alternately running and lifting up their
feet and swinging, were