The Brook 



''Frightful, we'll never get out of the lane alive. 

 You see there it is, right there, don't you see, just 

 this side of that house. That's Farmer Twillin's 

 house. He detests to have us go through. Now 

 you ride there, just where the top rail is down. 

 It's the easiest place, we always put the novices 

 over there!" 



She glanced at Striving out of the corner of her 

 eye. He did not observe the fun that was there. 

 He was watching the lane. 



"I'll not " he protested. "There's where I go, 

 where they've put in a brand new rail. A fall 

 will do me good. You go where the rail is down, 

 that's the place for a woman." 



"I'll not," the girl replied in turn; "if you go 

 there, I go,"and the fun died out of her eyes and 

 she bit her lip with her teeth. To both the thing 

 seemed extraordinarily real. 



The lane was approaching fast and neither 

 spoke. Then like lightning the train flashed past 

 and both glanced at each other and laughed. 



"This is your country?" Striving asked. 



"Yes, I get off at Weston, that's the next stop, 

 you know. The hounds are meeting there." 



Striving's face expressed his chagrin. 



"I'm sorry. I'd like to have you tell me how 

 it feels to ride over country like that." 

 65 



