rate's day with the old horse 221 



sight of Kate, and with that sweetness which women 

 show to rivals they detest, wreathed her face in 

 smiles and laid a caressing hand on Joe's mane. 



" Oh, Kate, how glad I am to see you out ! I 

 wish, dear, you had let me know that you meant to 

 come. You might have ridden Dennis or my bay. 

 I am afraid your dear old horse is almost past work 

 now ! " 



" Doesn't look like it, does he, Miss Preece ? " 

 retorted Kate, as Joe champed his bit and pawed 

 the velvet turf. Polly hated to be called Miss 

 Preece by Kate, and would fain have passed for her 

 bosom friend ; but Kate unfortunately chose her 

 own friends for herself, and Polly was not of them. 



" Cousin Kate is a rare believer in the old horse," 

 remarked George Vernon as he joined the two girls. 



" Yes," assented Polly, " your cousin is a very 

 antiquary ; she likes everything that is old, and 

 only what is old. She has even spoken slightingly 

 of this miracle of Mr Busvine's. From politics to 

 petticoats, Miss Lowry is a Tory, like her father ! " 



" I admit all you say, Miss Preece, and glory in 

 it. I do prefer old habits, sartorial and otherwise, 

 to any others." 



There was a deepening in the blue of Kate's eyes 

 as this word-play went on, which looked as if she 

 was more than half in earnest. 



