s if the imp of the perverse had
taken possession of that terrible nag to go and make such a display at
such a moment. But as his will rose, so did mine, and my will went up,
my whip went with it; but before it came down, Halicarnassus made shift
to drone out, "Wouldn't Flora go faster, if she was untied?"

To be sure, I had forgotten to unfasten him, and there those two men
had stood and known it all the time! I was in the wagon, so they were
secure from personal violence, but I have a vague impression of some
"pet names" flying wildly about in the air in that vicinity. Then we
trundled safely down the lane. We were to go in the direction leading
away from home,--the horse's. I don't think he perceived it at first,
but as soon he did snuff the fact, which happened when he had gone
perhaps three rods, he quietly turned around and headed the other way,
paying no more attention to my reins or my terrific "whoas!" than if I
were a sleeping babe. A horse is none of your woman's-rights men. He
is Pauline. He suffers not the woman to usurp authority over him. He
never says anything nor votes anything, but declares himself
unequivocally by taking things into his own hands, whenever he knows
there is nobody but a woman behind him,--and somehow he always does
know. After Halicarnassus had turned him back and set him going the
right way, I took on a gruff, manny voice, to deceive. Nonsense! I
could almost see him snap his fingers at me. He minded my whip no more
than he did a fly,--not so much as he did some flies. Grande said she
supposed his back was all callous. I acted upon the suggestion, knelt
down in the bottom of the wagon, and leaned over the dasher to whip him
on his belly, then climbed out on the shafts and snapped about his
ears; but he stood it much better than I. Finally I found that by
taking the small end of the wooden whip-handle, and sticking it into
him, I could elicit a faint flash of light; so I did it with assiduity,
but the moderate trot which even that produced was not enough to
accomplish my design, which was to outstrip the two men and make them
run or beg. The opposing forces arrived at the pump about the same
time.

Halicarnassus took the handle, and gave about five jerks. Then the
Anakim took it and gave five more. Then they both stopped and wiped
their faces.

"What do you suppose this pump was put here for?" asked Halicarnassus.

"A milestone, probably," replied the Anakim.