48 JUSTIN MORGAN 



Lloyd, of Maryland; though she had taken no notice of 

 him, he never forgot it. 



Deeply attached did the two horses become to each 

 other, and Old Worldly-Wise taught Young Innocence 

 much that was afterwards of use to him. He told him of 

 the city, where men sat, far into the night, and played 

 cards or other games by the glare of torchlight or wax 

 candle ; of how they danced with or serenaded fair ladies 

 till cock-crow. It contrasted strangely with True's for- 

 mer quiet nights and peaceful days in the Valley of the 

 Connecticut, but it interested him intensely and awak- 

 ened longings within him. 



He marvelled to see Beautiful Bay active and spirited 

 enough at his age to clear a five-barred gate like a grey- 

 hound, and to see his bearing under the saddle alike 

 youthful and stylish. 



The old horse had a fund of anecdotes to impart about 

 the Desert and its traditions. 



"Arabs," he said, "think it wicked to change their 

 coursers into beasts of burden and tillage. Why did 

 Allah make the ox for the plough and the camel to trans- 

 port merchandise, if not that the horse was for the race?" 



True had no answer ready, so Beautiful Bay continued : 



"If you meet one of the Faithful in the Desert mounted 

 on a kochlani, and he shall say to you, 'God bless you !' 

 before you can say, 'And God's blessing be upon you !' 

 he shall be out of sight." 



True learned how to judge a horse by his color through 

 Arabian tradition. 



"White is for princes, but these do not stand the heat ; 

 black brings good fortune, but fears rocky ground ; chest- 

 nut is most active — if one tells you he has seen a horse 

 'fly in the air,' and the horse be chestnut, believe him !" 



There was a pause, during which True anxiously 

 waited to hear what was said of bays. 



