never ceased counting time by "watches," and as sure as "morning watch"
drew near he would waken. The habits of early years are not readily
forsaken.

The faintest suggestion of dawn was visible over the Blue Ridge when,
instead of turning over again and settling down for his last, snug
morning nap, the old gentleman started wide awake and keenly alert.

"Had he heard a horse neigh?" Impossible! The stables were too far from
his bedchamber for any such sound to reach him. "Reckon I must have been
dreaming of Beverly and her little skallawag," he said softly, and was
about to settle down once more when a neigh, loud, clear and insistent,
pierced the crisp morning air.

"What the ----?" he cried, springing out of bed with surprising agility
for his years, and switching on the electric lights. Hurrying to the
window which commanded the sweep of the driveway he peered out. In the
faint light the indistinct outline of a horse was visible.

"Now which of those young devils of colts has escaped?" was his query, as
he hastily donned his clothes, and started down stairs.

But that neigh had been heard by others also, and as the Admiral reached
the end of the hall Mrs. Ashby came from her bedroom arrayed in bath robe
and bed slippers.

"What is it?" she asked.

"The Lord only knows. One of those confounded colts broken loose I dare
say, and if it is I'll crack Uncle Abel's head for him," and away he
hurried.

But Uncle Abel, who possessed six instead of five senses, the sixth being
"horse sense" had heard that neigh, too, and the ceremony of his robing
requiring less time than the Admiral's, he was already speeding toward
that sound as fast as his old legs would carry him. As he turned the
corner of the house he was welcomed by a most jubilant neigh, and the
next second had reached the steaming Apache, and exclaiming:

"Ma Lawd-Gawd-A'mighty, what done happen! Is dat yo', Miss Bev'ly? Baby!
Honey! Is yo' daid?" for a rigid, unconscious little figure was leaning
forward with her arms clasped tightly around the panting horse's neck.

Quicker than it takes to tell it Abel had unclasped the clinging arms and
was tenderly lifting her from the horse's back. At that moment the
Admiral burst through the big front door and came striding across the
lawn, storming at each step:

"You Abel! You old fool! How did that horse break loose? How----My God!
Who is that?" for he was now near enough to see the three figures and to
hear