d his fallen foe, and
with a beating heart and my knees knocking together, faced the great
mischievous brute with no other weapon, offensive or defensive, than a
laced pocket handkerchief. I believe he was a well-meaning bull after
all; for instead of crashing in upon me, as I half expected he would,
and immolating me on the spot, he too stopped short, stared, bellowed,
and began sniffing the grass, and pawing up the turf, and whisking his
tail about, just as Brilliant does when he is going to lie down. I
don't think he had ever seen a young lady, certainly not a French
bonnet before, and he didn't seem to know what to make of the
combination; so there we stood, he and I staring each other out of
countenance, but without proceeding to any further extremities. I know
I have plenty of courage, for after the first minute I wasn't the
least bit afraid; I felt just as I do when I ride at a large fence--as
I get nearer and nearer I feel something rising and rising within me
that enables me to face anything; and so when I had confronted the
bull for a little time I felt inclined to carry the war into the
enemy's country, and advance upon him. But of course all this is very
indelicate and unfeminine; and it would have been far more virtuous
and lady-like to have run shrieking away like Miss Molasses, or laid
down and given in at once like poor Lady Scapegrace, who was quite
resigned to being tossed and trampled upon, and only gave vent every
now and then to a stifled moan.

Well, at last I did advance a few steps, and the bull gave ground in
the same proportion. I began to think I should beat him after all,
when to my great relief, I must allow, I heard a voice behind me
exclaim, "By Jove, what a plucky girl!" and I thought I heard
something muttered that sounded very like "darling," but of course
that couldn't be meant for me; and Captain Lovell, hot, handsome, and
breathless, made his appearance, and soon drove our enemy into the
farthest corner of the field. As soon as the coast was clear we raised
poor Lady Scapegrace, who kissed me with tears in her eyes as she
thanked me for what she called "saving her life." I had no idea the
woman had so much feeling. Captain Lovell gave each of us an arm as we
walked on to join our party, and he explained how the screams of Miss
Molasses had reached him even at the riverside, and how he had turned
and hastened back immediately, "Fortunately in time to be of some use.
But I never saw a