138 ONLY THE MAKE 



to be very lame, so I was forced to take my last 

 gallop by myself ; and with visions of success on 

 the morrow, I passed rapidly through the keen air 

 over the now familiar way ; for the course was 

 within a couple of miles of the house, and so we 

 had the great advantage of being able to accustom 

 the mare to the very journey she would have to take. 



Bertie was in a field at the back of the stables 

 when I neared home again. " Come on !" he shouted, 

 pointing to a nasty hog-backed stile, which separated 

 us. I gave Little Lady her head, and she cantered 

 up to it, lighting on the other side like a very bird ! 

 Bertie didn't speak as I trotted up to him, but he 

 looked up into my face with a triumphant smile 

 more eloquent than words. 



*' You've given her enough, haven't you ? " he 

 remarked, patting her neck, as I dismounted in the 

 yard. 



" You've given her enough," usually signifies 

 " you've given her too much." But I opined not, 

 and we walked round to the house tolerably well 

 convinced that the approaching banking transactions 

 would be on the right side of the book. 



Despite a walk with Nellie, and the arrival of a 

 pile of music from town, the afternoon passed rather 

 slowly ; perhaps we were too anxious to be cheerful. 

 To make matters worse, dinner was to be postponed 



