he and the bay horse travelled, I am afraid to
say how many miles in two hours. But nerves and senses were in
their usual condition of excellent soundness, and his temper
in its usual poise, when he turned in at the gate of
Chickaree, and mounted the hill.

Before he quite reached the house, however, Mr. Rollo, being
quick of eye, caught a signal from among the trees down
towards the garden: a woman's hand raised in the fashion of a
Sunday school scholar asking leave to speak. Drawing bridle,
to make sure that he saw right, or to find what this strange
sign might mean, he presently saw little Phoebe of the mill,
who, leaving her basket of muslins on the grass, now came
running towards him. Phoebe's regard for Mr. Rollo, it may be
said, was second only to her devotion to her mistress.

'I hope I'm not taking too much of a liberty, sir,' she began,
all out of breath with eagerness and running, 'but I said to
myself maybe Mr. Rollo would know what to do. For I'm sure
Miss Hazel must be very sick,--and nobody takes a bit of
notice.'

The inner pang with which this advice was received did not at
all appear. Rider and horse were motionless, and the answer
was a grave--

'Why do you think so, Phoebe?'

'May I tell you all about it, sir?' said the girl, earnestly.
Then without waiting for permission--'I never have told a
living soul, Mr. Rollo; for Mrs. Bywank she shuts me up with:
"Do your work Phoebe, and don't talk;" and so I have, sir,
always. It was one day after a ride--for she's had the
beautifullest horse, sir!--since you've been away, I guess; and
she'd ride every morning before breakfast, and come home
looking--Well I can't begin to tell!' said Phoebe,
enthusiastically. 'But Reo said it was the flush of the
morning going through his gate.'

The bay lifted up one foot and struck it impatiently on the
ground. His rider sat still, waiting upon Phoebe's words. The
reins were on the horse's neck, but the creature probably had
made up his mind that any volunteer extra steps were
unnecessary under his new master, for he stood like a rock,
that one foot excepted.

'So,' said Phoebe, taking up her broken thread, 'of course
Jeannie Deans (that's the horse, Mr. Rollo) began to love her,
might and main, right off--as everybody does; but even Mr.
Lewis allowed he never saw a horse learn so quick. And it
isn't often he allows anything,' said Phoebe, with the
slightest toss of her head. 'It wasn't for sugar,--sometimes