riding-habit, trimmed with black. It was the first time she had worn it since she has been here, and it had a very striking effect. She seemed to have made up her mind that Sibyl was trained enough for her to ride. Tom came out of the stable, and stood in astonishment at the young lady's appearance. He is her devoted slave (like everybody else), because, as he explains it, she is fresh from his native land. After a short parley, which of course I could not hear, he gave her a hand, and she sprang into the saddle. There was no bridle on the horse: Tom was in the habit of riding her with the halter only. She had stood pretty quietly thus far; but just as Tom had loosened the end of the halter from the ring in the door-post, and was in the act of handing it to Sinfire, the collie came racing up and emitted an explosion of barks right under Sibyl's nose. She threw up her head, jerking the halter from Tom's hand, danced about for a moment, and set off at a full run in the direction of the drive.
This brought them directly underneath my window. Sinfire was, of course, powerless to guide the horse, but she kept her seat well, and, to judge from the expression of her face as she flashed past, she seemed exhilarated rather than frightened. Nevertheless, she was in imminent danger. If Sibyl kept on her present course for two hundred yards, it would bring her to the cliff, and that was nearly certain death. Tom was in pursuit, but he would never overtake them. It looked like good-by forever to our English cousin.
But just then I saw John running on a line which would intersect their course at a point about fifty yards from the cliff's brink. Where he came from I know not; but he was running as I never before saw a man run. He had a good start; but I could hardly think it possible that he would be in time. At the moment when I thought the horse had passed him, however, I saw him give a spring: he was dragged off his feet in an instant, and I knew he had caught the halter. I waited to see no more, but got down-stairs as fast as I could, and set off for the seat of war.
The situation, when I got there, was somewhat different from what I had expected. Tom had hold of Sibyl's halter, and was soothing and scolding her by turns, and at the same time exonerating himself to Sinfire, who had dismounted and was seated on the grass with John's head supported on her knee. At first I thought he was dead: it was a terrible thought. But when she saw me she said immediately, "He has only fainted."
I sent Tom on Sibyl after restoratives, and held John against my shoulder. Sinfire had already loosened his collar. He was unconscious, and his face had a strange look that I did not like; I could not find
