esumed in the least upon the acquaintance, being perhaps aware of the
honor it conferred upon him. He allowed himself to be abused, ignored,
or petted, as it might suit the pleasure of her royal highness, with a
patient, even-tempered good-nature which was admirable. When Lady Clare
(perhaps for fear of making him conceited) took no notice of him, he
showed neither resentment nor surprise, but walked off with a sheepish
shake of his head. Thus he slowly learned the lesson to make no
exhibition of feeling at the sight of his superior; not to run up and
greet her with a disrespectfully joyous whinny; but calmly wait for her
to recognize him before appearing to be aware of her presence. It took
Lady Clare several months to accustom Shag (for that was the colt's
name) to her ways. She taught him unconsciously the rudiments of good
manners; but he proved himself docile, and when he once had been reduced
to his proper place he proved a fairly acceptable companion.

During the first and second week after John Garvestad's wedding Erik
had kept Lady Clare stabled, having a vague fear that the angry peasant
might intend to do her harm. But she whinnied so pitifully through the
long light nights that finally he allowed his compassion to get the
better of his anxiety, and once more she was seen racing madly about
the field with Shag, whom she always beat so ignominiously that she felt
half sorry for him, and as a consolation allowed him gently to claw her
mane with his teeth. This was a privilege which Shag could not fail to
appreciate, though she never offered to return the favor by clawing him.
At any rate, as soon as Lady Clare reappeared in the meadow Shag's cup
of bliss seemed to be full.

A week passed in this way, nothing happened, and Erik's vigilance was
relaxed. He went to bed on the evening of July 10th with an easy mind,
without the remotest apprehension of danger. The sun set about ten
o'clock, and Lady Clare and Shag greeted its last departing rays with a
whinny, accompanied by a wanton kickup from the rear--for whatever
Lady Clare did Shag felt in honor bound to do, and was conscious of no
disgrace in his abject and ape-like imitation. They had spent an hour,
perhaps, in such delightful performances, when all of a sudden they were
startled by a deep bass whinny, which rumbled and shook like distant
thunder. Then came the tramp, tramp, tramp of heavy hoof-beats, which
made the ground tremble. Lady Clare lifted her bea