and the people; and
the bud that was about to open into the perfect flower had its living
symbol in the little creature racing over the bluegrass fields on a
black pony, with a black velvet cap and a white nodding plume above her
shaking curls, just as the little stranger who had floated down into
those Elysian fields--with better blood in his veins than he knew--was
a reincarnation perhaps of the spirit of the old race that had lain
dormant in the hills. The long way from log-cabin to Greek portico had
marked the progress of the generations before her, and, on this same
way, the boy had set his sturdy feet.

CHAPTER 11.

A TOURNAMENT

On Sunday, the Major and Miss Lucy took Chad to church--a country
church built of red brick and overgrown with ivy--and the sermon was
very short, Chad thought, for, down in the mountains, the circuit-rider
would preach for hours--and the deacons passed around velvet pouches
for the people to drop money in, and they passed around bread, of which
nearly everybody took a pinch, and a silver goblet with wine, from
which the same people took a sip--all of which Chad did not understand.
Usually the Deans went to Lexington to church, for they were
Episcopalians, but they were all at the country church that day, and
with them was Richard Hunt, who smiled at Chad and waved his
riding-whip. After church Dan came to him and shook hands. Harry nodded
to him gravely, the mother smiled kindly, and the General put his hand
on the boy's head. Margaret looked at him furtively, but passed him by.
Perhaps she was still "mad" at him, Chad thought, and he was much
worried. Margaret was not shy like Melissa, but her face was kind. The
General asked them all over to take dinner, but Miss Lucy declined--she
had asked people to take dinner with her. And Chad, with keen
disappointment, saw them drive away.

It was a lonely day for him that Sunday. He got tired staying so long
at the table, and he did not understand what the guests were talking
about. The afternoon was long, and he wandered restlessly about the
yard and the quarters. Jerome Conners, the overseer, tried to be
friendly with him for the first time, but the boy did not like the
overseer and turned away from him. He walked down to the pike gate and
sat on it, looking over toward the Deans'. He wished that Dan would
come over to see him or, better still, that he could go over to see Dan
and Harry and--Margaret. But Dan did not come and Chad cou