w, and can I rely upon you?"

"'Deed I do, missus; 'deed yo' kin! I'll fotch de sad'l 'n' tek 'im
right roun' to de road!"

"Be careful that no one from the house sees you; hurry, now."

Upon her return she found breakfast ready, and the Major waiting for
her. He gave her a morning kiss with his old air of doting pride, and
the quick look with which she surveyed him told her that he was in
excellent spirits, but whether feigned or real she could not tell. When
the meal was over the Major settled himself in the library with a book,
and Julia's chance had come. She dared not wait a moment. Already her
heart misgave her as she realized to the full all that she was about to
undertake. Charged with a subdued excitement which shone in her eyes and
glowed on her cheeks, she put on a hat, found her gloves, and secreting
the weapon as she walked, she left the house by way of the long side
porch and sought her rendezvous with Peter. He was waiting for her like
a faithful Arab, with one arm over the neck of his charge. She whispered
a few added words of caution to the mystified old servitor, mounted, and
started slowly down the road. The distance was short, and she wanted to
have herself well in hand, and decide upon the best method in which to
approach this enemy to her house.

It was a bright June morning. The air was balmy and fresh and
invigorating; it came to her nostrils as the very essence of life from
the earth's great laboratory, and it gently lifted the curls which clung
about her forehead and neck. The sun had not gathered its full power;
its rays blessed while they did not burn. The dense foliage of the
roadside trees rustled gently, showering down upon her an elfin song of
gladness. All nature was a-thrill with the joy of living, and only this
poor little human seemed sad and out of tune. The Prince, too, felt the
call of the new day. His pointed ears were up and attentive to every
sound; his neck was arched, and his nostrils stretched to the sweet
waves of air. It was with some difficulty his rider succeeded in holding
him down to a walk. He longed to run--to race with the morning, for this
was his breeding through a long, long line of ancestors. To feel the
keen wind in his face, to have it rushing past his ears and plucking at
his mane and dashing in his eyes; to know the earth was reeling beneath
his flying hoofs and that nothing could gain a place in front of him!
But his rider kept a firm hold on the reins, a