took fair little
flying passages through her head; chasing and succeeding each other,
put in and put out by the lights and shadows, the hills and fields, sky
and trees and wind-clouds, as the case might be, and mixing up with
them all.

Dr. Harrison had come for her this time in an easy pleasant-going
curricle, drawn by beautiful animals, and who felt beautifully in that
gay wind. They looked so, certainly, every motion from ears to tail
telling of life and the enjoyment of it.

"You are not afraid of anything, I know," said Dr. Harrison, one time
when he had been obliged to hold them in with a good deal of
decision;--"or I would have brought the old family trotter for you."

"What makes you think so, Dr. Harrison?"

"I have had proof of it," said he looking at her. Faith shook her head
a little, and could have told him several things; but did not.

"You are not afraid of these fellows?"

She said no.

"There is no pleasure in handling what gives you no trouble;--don't you
think so?"

Faith sought for illustrations of the subject in her own experience;
did not find them.

"Now look at those fellows," the doctor went on. "They are fit to fly
out of their skins; but a little bit of steel in their mouths--and a
good rein--and a strong hand at the end of it--and they are mine, and
not their own," said he, giving them a powerful check at the same time
which brought them on their haunches;--"and they know it. Now isn't
there some pleasure in this?"

"It is rather a man's pleasure," said Faith;--"isn't it?"

"Do you think so?" said the doctor. "Ah, you know better. Do you mean
to say," he added softly, "that a woman doesn't know the pleasure of
power?"

"I don't think _I_ do," said Faith meeting his eyes with a smile. He
smiled too, a different smile from what was usual with him.

The drive was long--much longer than Faith had counted upon, although
they went so fast. "Down by the river"--the doctor had said; but it
appeared not yet what part of the river he was aiming for. Still it was
beautiful; the broken country, open and free, with the cloud shadows
and the brilliant sunlight driving across it, and grey sharp rocks
everywhere breaking it, and tufts and reaches of brown or sear woodland
diversifying it, was not easy to weary of. Nor did Faith weary. The
doctor's words had sent her off on a long journey of thought, while she
travelled over all that open, sunlight and shadow, country. Starting
from the word