saddle your horse myself."

Here Master Joseph relented--because he now felt certain of his game. "I
have conscientious scruples against lifting even my little finger to
aid you in this unholy business," he said more placidly, "but under the
circumstances, I will saddle Sweetbriar for you."

So saying, he took off his saddle from the horse, and substituted the
side-saddle which he brought from the barn. Then he led Sweetbriar to
the horse-block, and his sister-in-law mounted.

She glanced at his spurs. "You ride him with spurs, I see. Hand me my
riding-whip," she said, pointing to where she had laid it, when she
first came out.

"I would not strike him, if I were you. He is not used to the whip--it
might make him troublesome."

Mistress Putnam made no reply; but gathered up the reins, and the horse
started down the lane.

A singular smile came across the young man's features. He went back and
closed the door of the house, and then started in a rapid walk across
the field towards his own home. Neither of them thought it mattered that
the house was left for a time unprotected. Mistress Putnam knew that a
couple of farm-hands were at work in a distant field, who would be back
at sundown; and there were so few strollers at that time, that no
farmer thought of bolting up his doors and windows when he went to
meeting, or to see a neighbor.

The way home across the fields was a good deal nearer than to go by the
road, as the latter made quite an angle. And, as the young man strode
swiftly, on he could see in many places his sister-in-law, riding
deliberately along, and approaching the forks of the road, where anyone
going to his own house, would turn and ride away from, instead of toward
Salem.

"When she gets to the forks of the road, look out for squalls," said
Master Joseph to himself. For many had been his own fights with
Sweetbriar, when the horse wanted to go towards his stable, after a long
ride, and his young master wanted him to go in the opposite direction.
Sweetbriar had already gone about twenty miles that day--and, besides,
had been given only the merest mouthful for dinner, with the object of
preparing him for this special occasion.

The next swell in the ground afforded the young man an excellent view.
Sweetbriar had arrived at the turn which led to his stable; where rest
and oats awaited him; and it evidently seemed to Him the height of
injustice and unreason to be asked to go all the way back to Sa