pecies, with eyes rolling until they were nearly all
whites, shouting as he drew near:

"My Lawd-a-mighty, Miss Bev'ly, is yo' hu't? Is yo' daid?"

It was a good enough bit of acting to have won the actor fame and
fortune. As a matter of fact, Beverly gave one glance at the fly-away
figure, then clasping both arms around Apache's neck, buried her face in
his mane and to all intents and purposes collapsed into a paroxysm of
tears, to the entire dismay of Mr. Cushman, and the skeptical "sizing up"
of the situation by Mr. Ford, more lately from the campus. It was Athol
who promptly turned a few handsprings behind their backs and Archie who
rolled over upon the grass chortling.

"Don't be alarmed! Don't be alarmed, my good man. Your young lady is none
the worse for her involuntary run (just here a distinct snort came from
the ground behind Mr. Cushman) though I dare say a little unstrung and
exhausted. But we stopped her mount ("yes you did!" came sotto voce from
Athol) and now we will lead your mistress back to the house where Mrs.
Kilton will be delighted to minister to her comfort. Are you too nervous
to ride to the rear entrance, Miss Ashby?" for during the few words
spoken Mr. Cushman had discovered that this was Athol Ashby's sister, had
the resemblance left any doubt of that fact.

Beverly resumed an upright position, hastily wiped away her tears, (one
_can_ laugh as well as weep them) and answered:

"Oh, no sir. Of course I was a little startled at first, but Apache is
never vicious, and it was only the need of exercise which made
us--_him_--bolt, you know."

The acrobat came to an upright position and very nearly upset the whole
show.

Meantime Jefferson with many flutterings and gesticulations, had
dismounted and managed to work his way to Archie's side and whisper:

"Don't yo' let on, will yo' suh?"

"Not on your sweet life. It's the best ever. But where's the rest of the
bunch? There must _be_ some. You always take out a full fledged
seminary."

"Praise Gawd der aint but fo' dis time, an' dey's yander on de pike
some--'ers. But I'se near scared blue."

"Gray, you mean. Keep cool. I'll fix it all right. Oh, Mr. Cushman the
groom had to leave the other young ladies back yonder on the road and
he's a good bit upset about it. Hadn't he better ride back to them?
They'll be scared blue you know."

"Certainly. Certainly. By all means. Return to them at once. This young
lady will be carefully looked after