e no longer felt
inclined to laugh. The object of each side was to drive the ball through
its own wicket; and to effect this a great deal of both courage and
skill were required, not only on the part of the horsemen, but of the
ponies as well. More than once all the eight seemed to be collected in
a breathless tangle about and above the ball, crowding, pushing,
struggling for the chance at a stroke; and in such cases the ponies
seemed to divide the excitement with their masters, and fenced and
curved and described indescribably short circles, regardless of the
danger of getting a hard rap from the cruel mallets on their own poor
little hoofs. Then, when some lucky hit sent the ball spinning across
the ground, it was quite beautiful to see the alacrity with which the
little creatures, of their own accord, as it were, rushed, after it,
obeying the slightest indication from rein or spur, and apparently
measuring the distance and the opportunities as accurately as their
riders. The beat of their small hoofs on the smooth ground was so swift
and even that it was more like a rustle than a rush. To and fro flew the
ball, now almost at the blue wicket, then reached and sent back in the
very nick of time by one of the red champions. Candace was so fascinated
that she had no eyes for any one else till, turning her head by
accident, her eye lighted upon a face in the crowd near the carriage;
and with a flash of recognition she knew that it was the stranger of
whom she had caught that momentary glimpse at Fort Greene. Involuntarily
she glanced at Berry Joy and Georgie, and perceived that the former had
seen the man also and was trying to look as if she had not seen him,
while the latter was honestly unconscious. There was something odd about
the man's manner, which kept Candace's attention fixed. He seemed to be
standing carelessly among other spectators watching the game, and yet by
a series of dexterous movements and small shiftings of position he was
gradually edging toward the carriage. Presently a forward step more
decided than the rest brought him close to it. Georgie saw him now. A
deep color flushed her face; she lowered her parasol as if to hide it.

"I believe you dropped this, madam," said the man, stooping suddenly as
if to pick something up from the ground, and handing to Berry what
seemed to be a note.

"Oh, thanks!" said Berry, in a confused voice, quite different from her
ordinary voice.

The stranger raised his