f across the deep grass of the paddock, her
pale face very serious, her small head held high. She would keep faith
with Evelyn Tobermory. Of course she would keep faith with her. It was
not only a matter of honour, but of expediency. It was much, very much
better to go. Yet whence this sudden heat proceeded, and why the
Egyptian journey assumed suddenly such paramount desirability, she
carefully did not stay to inquire--an omission not, perhaps, without
significance.

The half-dozen dainty fillies, meanwhile, who had eyed her shyly from
their station beneath the beech trees, trotted gently towards her with
friendly whinnyings, their fine ears pricked, their long tails carried
well away in a sweeping curve. Honoria went on to meet them. She was
glad of something to occupy her hands, some outside, concrete thing to
occupy her thought. She took the foremost, a dark bay, by the nose
strap of its leather head-stall, patted the beast's sleek neck, looked
into its prominent, heavy-lidded eyes,--the blue film over the
velvet-like iris and pupil of them giving a singular softness of
effect,--drew down the fine, aristocratic head, and kissed the little
star where the hair turned in the centre of the smooth, hard forehead.
It was as perfectly bred as she was herself--so clean, so fresh, that
to touch it was wholly pleasant! Then she backed away from it, holding
it at arm's-length, noting how every line of its limbs and body was
graceful and harmonious, full of the purpose of easy strength, easy
freedom of movement. That it was a trifle blown out in barrel, from
being at grass, only gave its contours an added suavity. It was a
lovely beast, a delicious beast! Honoria smiled upon it, talked to,
patted and coaxed it. While another young beauty, waxing brave, pushed
its black muzzle under her arm, and lipped at her jacket pockets in
search of bread and of apples. And, these good things once discovered,
the rest of the drove came about her, civilly, a trifle proudly, as
befitted such fine ladies, with no pushings and bustlings of vulgar
greed. And they charmed her. She was very much at one with them. She
fed them fearlessly, thrusting one aside in favour of another, giving
each reward in due turn. She passed her hands down over their slender
limbs. The warm colours and the gloss of them were pleasant to her
eyes. And they smelt sweet, as did the trampled grass beneath their
unshod hoofs. For a while the human problem--its tragedy, magn