vant, who wears his master's clothes? Again, no?
Then kindly permit me, at least, to do as I think best."

"Oh, Rita!" cried Peggy, "perhaps we ought not--"

"_Chut!_" cried Rita, flashing upon her in the way that always
frightened Peggy out of her wits. "Do you saddle me the horse, or do I
do it myself?"

Margaret thought it was highly improbable that Rita could do it herself,
but she said no more. A difficulty arose, however. There was found to be
but one saddle. "Never mind!" said Peggy. "I can ride bareback just as
well as saddleback; but I am afraid, Rita--"

"Afraid!" cried Rita. "You too, Peggy? My faith, what a set!"

"Afraid the saddle will not fit the black!" said Peggy, looking for once
defiantly at her terrible cousin. "White Eagle is so big, you see; the
saddle was made for him, and it slips right off this fellow's back."

Rita fretted and stamped her pretty feet, and said various explosive
things under her breath, and not so far under but that they could be
heard pretty well, but all this did not avail to make the saddle smaller
or the new horse bigger; so at last she was obliged to mount White
Eagle, and to have the mortification of seeing Peggy vault lightly on
the back of the black beauty. He had never been ridden before, perhaps;
certainly he was not used to it, for he reared upright, and a less
practised horsewoman than Peggy would have been thrown in an instant;
but she sat like a rock, and stroked the horse between his ears, and
patted his neck, and somehow wheedled him down on his four legs again.
Margaret watched with breathless interest. This was all new to her. Rita
looked graceful and beautiful, and rode with ease and skill, but Peggy
was mistress of the situation. The black horse flew here and there,
rearing, squealing with excitement, occasionally indulging in something
suspiciously like a "buck;" but Peggy, unruffled, still coaxed and
caressed him, and showed him so plainly that she was there to stay as
long as she felt inclined, that after a while he gave up the struggle,
and settling down into a long, smooth gallop, bore her away like the
wind over the meadow and up the slope that lay beyond. Now they came to
a low stone wall, and the watchers thought they would turn back; but
Peggy lifted the black at it, and he went over like a bird. Next moment
they were out of sight over the brow of the hill.

[Illustration: HORSEBACK.]

"Oh," cried Margaret, turning to Rita, her face aglow wit