Sally's chair--all these produced in me a curious and unreasonable
sensation of anger.

"I forbid you to jump, Sally," I said, almost sharply; "you know I hate
it."

She leaned forward, glancing first at me and then at George, with an
expression of surprise.

"Why, what's the matter, Ben?" she asked. "He's a perfect bear, isn't
he, George?"

"The best way to keep her from jumping," observed George, pleasantly
enough, though his face flushed, "is to be on the spot to catch her
bridle or her horse's mane or anything else that's handy. It's the only
means I've found successful, for there was never a Bland yet who didn't
go straight ahead and do the thing he was forbidden to. Miss Mitty told
me with pride that she had been eating lobster, which she always hated,
and I discovered her only reason was that the doctor had ordered her not
to touch it."

"Then I shan't forbid, I'll entreat," I replied, recovering myself with
an effort. "Please don't jump, Sally, I implore it."

"I won't jump if you'll come with me, Ben," she answered.

I laughed shortly, for how was it possible to explain to two Virginians
of their blood and habits that a man of six feet two inches could not
sit a horse for the first time without appearing ridiculous in the eyes
even of the woman who loved him? They had grown up together in the
fields or at the stables, and a knowledge of horse-flesh was as much a
part of their birthright as the observance of manners. The one I could
never acquire; the other I had attained unaided and in the face of the
tremendous barriers that shut me out. The repeated insistence upon the
fact that Sally was a Bland aroused in me, whenever I met it, an
irritation which I tried in vain to dispel. To be a Bland meant, after
all, simply to be removed as far as possible from any temperamental
relation to the race of Starrs.

"I wish I could, dear," I answered, as I rose to go out, "but remember,
I've never been on a horse in my life and it's too late to begin."

"Oh, I forgot. Of course you can't," she rejoined. "So if George isn't
strong enough to hold me back, I'll have to go straight after Bonny."

"I promise you I'll swing on with all my might, Ben," said George, with
a laugh in which I felt there was an amiable condescension, as from the
best horseman in his state to a man who had never ridden to hounds.

A little later, as I walked down the street, past the old grey house,
under the young budding leaves of the s