n
the afternoon, and both the house and the barn were thronged with
wedding-guests. From the sitting-room the strains of two fiddles were
heard, mingled with the scraping and stamping of heavy feet.

Another musical performance was in progress in the barn; and all over
the yard elderly men and youths were standing in smaller and larger
groups, smoking their pipes and tasting the beer-jugs, which were passed
from hand to hand. But the moment Lady Clare was seen all interest in
minor concerns ceased, and with one accord the crowd moved toward her,
completely encircling her, and viewing her with admiring glances that
appreciated all her perfections.

"Did you ever see cleaner-shaped legs on a horse?" someone was heard
to say, and instantly his neighbor in the crowd joined the chorus of
praise, and added: "What a snap and spring there is in every bend of her
knee and turn of her neck and flash of her eye!"

It was while this chorus of admiration was being sung in all keys and
tones of the whole gamut, that the bridegroom came out of the house, a
little bit tipsy, perhaps, from the many toasts he had been obliged to
drink, and bristling with pugnacity to the ends of his fingers and the
tips of his hair. Every word of praise that he heard sounded in his ears
like a jeer and an insult to himself. With ruthless thrusts he elbowed
his way through the throng of guests and soon stood in front of the
two horses, from which the captain and Erik had not yet had a chance
to dismount. He returned their greeting with scant courtesy and plunged
instantly into the matter which he had on his mind.

"I reckon you have thought better of my offer by this time," he said,
with a surly swagger, to Erik. "What do you hold your mare at to-day?"

"I thought we had settled that matter once for all," the boy replied,
quietly. "I have no more intention of selling Lady Clare now than I ever
had."

"Then will ye trade her off for Valders-Roan?" ejaculated Garvestad,
eagerly.

"No, I won't trade her for Valders-Roan or any other horse in creation."

"Don't be cantankerous, now, young fellow, or you might repent of it."

"I am not cantankerous. But I beg of you kindly to drop this matter. I
came here, at your invitation, as a guest at your wedding, not for the
purpose of trading horses."

It was an incautious speech, and was interpreted by everyone present
as a rebuke to the bridegroom for his violation of the rules of
hospitality. The captain