I can do----" she began.

"Dismount," he said, looking up at her tenderly.

Lady Alicia never quite knew how it happened, but certainly she found
herself standing on the ground, and the next moment Mr Beveridge was in
her place.

"An old soldier," he exclaimed, gaily; "I can't resist the temptation of
having a canter." And with that he started at a gallop towards the gate.

With a blasphemous ejaculation Moggridge sprang from behind his tree, and
set off down the drive in hot pursuit.

Lady Alicia screamed, "Stop! stop! Francis--I mean, Mr Beveridge; stop,
please!"

But the favorite of the crack regiment, despite the lady's saddle, sat his
steed well, and rapidly left cries and footsteps far behind. The lodge was
nearly half a mile away, and as the avenue wound between palisades of old
trees, the shouts became muffled, and when he looked over his shoulder he
saw in the stretch behind him no sign of benefactress or pursuer. By
continued exhortations and the point of his penknife he kept his horse at
full stretch; round the next bend he knew he should see the gates.

"Five to one on the blank things being shut," he muttered.

He swept round the curve, and there ahead of him he saw the gates grimly
closed, and at the lodge door a dismounted groom, standing beside his
horse.

Only remarking "Damn!" he reined up, turned, and trotted quietly back
again. Presently he met Moggridge, red in the face, muddy as to his
trousers, and panting hard.

"Nice little nag this, Moggridge," he remarked, airily.

"Nice sweat you've give me," rejoined his attendant, wrathfully.

"You don't mean to say you ran after me?"

"I does mean to say," Moggridge replied grimly, seizing the reins.

"Want to lead him? Very well--it makes us look quite like the Derby winner
coming in."

"Derby loser you means, thanks to them gates bein' shut."

"Gates shut? Were they? I didn't happen to notice."

"No, o' course not," said Moggridge, sarcastically; "that there sunstroke
you got in India prevented you, I suppose?"

"Have a cigar?"

To this overture Moggridge made no reply. Mr Beveridge laughed and
continued lightly, "I had no idea you were so fond of exercise. I'd have
given you a lead all round the park if I'd known."

"You'd 'ave given me a lead all round the county if them gates 'ad been
open."

"It might have been difficult to stop this fiery animal," Mr Beveridge
admitted. "But now, Moggridge, the run is over. I think I can ta