''Those Who Ride Straight'' 



said he had never seen better hands. Spread 

 Eagle, with a mouth Hke a monkey-wrench, that 

 always bolted when hounds went away, hadn't 

 pulled an ounce. 



A lot of things happened that first day Trotter 

 came out, things we didn't realize then were hap- 

 pening. 



The principal one was Alice. All the others 

 followed as a sequence. I introduced Trotter to 

 Alice myself, Alice being my first cousin. The 

 hounds were just ahead of us down the road. 

 I remember every detail. 



She was riding on my right hand and he was a 

 trifle beyond her. 



"Alice," I said, in my best manner, "allow me 

 to present Mr. Trotter." 



You knew Alice. What a brick she was ! The 

 best fellow I ever knew. She could sit a horse, 

 too, and nerve in the field — she used to make me 

 ill at times. 



"Howdy do," says Alice, putting out her hand 

 in that quick, deliberate way she had, head up, 

 eye to eye. 



Trotter's hand met hers, and their eyes, too, 

 met. 



I was watching caicfully. I always liked to 

 get Alice's estimate of a man. If she smiled, it 

 151 



