152 A BREAKFAST, AND — BROKEN BONES. 



for the squire told me he should draw the Long 

 Rearsby wood before the osier holt, and there is no 

 more chance of a find in it, than in this breakfast- 

 room." 



" Thank you," said Fairfax ; and the words, little 

 as they said in themselves, spoke volumes in the deep, 

 low, modulated tones which contained them. 



" Ah Bonnibelle, pretty Bonnibelle," she said, kiss- 

 ing the white star on the beautiful mare's forehead, 

 while she laid down her ears, and arched her neck, 

 and whinnied at the well-known voice and expected ca- 

 ress. "Now, colonel," and, raising the long skirt of 

 her habit with her left hand, she laid her right on the 

 pummel, and extended the tip of the prettiest little 

 foot in the world to the gloved hand of Fairfax. 



In a moment, and without an effort, she was on Bon- 

 nibelle's back, the picture of grace and elasticity at 

 rest, settling her ruffled draperies, arranging her 

 white gauntlets, shredding her reins, flattering her 

 mare's neck with soft caresses, the fairest and most fe- 

 minine of amazons. Fairfax spoke not, but gazed, 

 and — I suppose — thought. 



Sir Harry's robust voice came through the open 

 door, " Mary, Mary, this tiresome devil of a fellow, 

 Battersby, is at me again, about the new Alderney 

 cows, and I cannot come for half an hour. Ride on 

 with Fairfax, and I'll overtake you before they find." 



Their eyes met mutually, spontaneously — neither 

 knew, neither meant to convey any thing by that sud- 

 den glance ; yet as the eyes met the same thrill shot 

 through each, a heart spasm, instantly understood — 

 instantly confessed. 



Those, who have felt what I mean, will understand 

 me, for to them I speak * ^coraj^ra ^wstoisi ; to those 

 who have not, I speak Hebrew To one it said, " she 



* Literally, " tvords speahing (intelligible) to the wise." — Pindar. 



