ot of tolerant
kindness, but, also, at times, to be greatly improved by a sound
whipping. Once when he suggested something of this sort to Allis,
saying that Lauzanne was a spoiled child, she admitted he was, but that
thoughtless cruelty and not indulgence had done the harm, therefore
kindness was the cure. The first sign of regeneration was the implicit
faith that Lauzanne began to place in his young mistress. At first when
she put up a hand to pet him he would jerk his head away in affright;
now he snuggled her shoulder, or nibbled at her glove in full spirit of
comradarie. Then one day in a gallop came a stronger manifestation,
a brief minute of exhilaration, with after-hours of thankfulness, and
beyond that, alas for the uncertainty of a spoiled temper, an added
period of wallowing in the Slough of Despond!

It was on a crisp, sparkling morning, and with Shandy--it was before his
downfall--on Lucretia, another stable lad, Ned Carter, on Game Boy, and
Allis on Lauzanne, the three swung off for a working gallop of a mile or
more. Lauzanne was in an inquisitive mood, as the other two raced on
in front. What was his light-weighted rider up to anyway? Why did she
always leave it to him to do just as he liked? Was she really deceiving
him? Did she wish him to lie back there behind the others always? He
fell to wondering what she would do if he were to take hold of the bit
and spread his big muscles in one rushing gallop, and go on past the
others and get home to the feed box first. He rattled the snaffle in his
mouth with nervous indecision--he had a notion to try it.

"Steady, my boy!" said Allis, as she slipped the reins back through her
fingers till they stretched tight. A dozen times she had sought in vain
to make him think she did not wish him to gallop, but something in the
crisp air this morning threw him off his guard. Why should he be forced
to lag behind? He stretched the arch of his neck straight till the bit
held hard in his mouth; the ears pitched forward in eager point; the
great frame under the girl quivered and sank closer to earth; the roar
of his beating hoofs came up to her ears, muffled by the drive of the
wind that was now a gale as the Chestnut raced into it with the speed
of an express. How her heart sang! Here was speed, and with such
stride--strong, and straight, and true! Low she crouched, and her call
to Lauzanne was but a joyous whisper. Her small hands were framed in
steel, strength to steady