242 FARMING IT 



necessity of a first impression. None of the 

 uncles were present, they having rather forcibly 

 expressed their disgust with the whole proceed- 

 ings. 



As it drew near six o'clock, I could sit still no 

 longer and walked to the hedge and looked down 

 the street. Suddenly, from the opposite direction, 

 I heard the rapid thud of a horse's feet, a 

 quick short snappy trot that seemed strangely 

 familiar. I turned and stared, and there whirled 

 round the corner a sorrel mare with head up, 

 mane and tail flying, going like the wind, and 

 drawing a light buggy in which sat a young man 

 grinning delightedly and holding the flying mare 

 with the coachman's grip. Shades of immortal 

 Caesar ! it was Dick driving Polly, - - Polly for 

 whom I had hunted so long and vainly ! 



I was never so completely taken aback in my 

 life, and stood blankly with my mouth open like 

 a "plumb idjut." On the piazza my wife and 

 daughter stood like people bereft of sense, until 

 suddenly Nathalie's voice rang out: "Father! 

 father! It's Polly! Dick's got Polly!" 



By this time Dick had pulled up, jumped to 

 the ground, thrown the reins over Polly's back, 

 and had come forward to greet us. 



"Well, old man," he said, "what do you think 

 of my young lady ?" 



"You infernal young rascal!" I sputtered; "I 



