Nell of Shorne Mills

"What about you?" he said, remembering for the first time that he had

spent so many hours with this girl alone and unchaperoned.

Nell laughed.

"Oh, she would not be anxious about me. Mamma is used to my going out

for a ride--when I can borrow a horse from some one--or sailing the

_Annie Laurie_ with old Brownie; but she'll be anxious about you. You're

an invalid, you know."

"Not much of the invalid about me, saving this arm," he said.

As they climbed the hill, they came upon Dick mounted upon a horse the

like of which Nell had never seen; and she stopped dead short and stared

at him.

"Hallo, Nell! Hallo, Mr. Vernon! Just giving him a run, after being shut

up in that stuffy railway box."

"That's right," said Vernon. "Like him?"

"Like him?" responded Dick, with the superlative of approval; "never

rode a horse to equal him, and the other is as good. And"--in an

undertone--"the sidesaddle has come."

But Nell, whose ears were sharp, heard him.

"Who is the sidesaddle for?" she asked, innocently and ungrammatically.

Vernon took the bull by the horns.

"For you, if you will deign to use it, Miss Nell," he said.

It was the first time he had addressed her as "Miss Nell," but she did

not notice it.

"For me?" she exclaimed.

They were opposite Sandy's stables, and Dick dropped off his horse and

brought out the other.

"Look at her, Nell!" he exclaimed, with bated breath. "Perfect, isn't

she?"

Nell looked at her with a flush that came and went "Oh, but I--I--could not!" she breathed.

Mr. Drake Vernon laughed.

"Why not?" he said argumentatively. "Fair play's a jewel. You can't

expect to have all the innings your side, Miss Nell. You've treated

me--well, like a prince; and you won't refuse to ride a horse of mine

that's simply spoiling for want of exercise!"

Nell looked from him to the horse, and from the horse to him.

"I--I--am so surprised," she faltered. "I--I will ask mamma."

"That's all right," said Vernon, who had learned to know "mamma" by this

time.

Nell left Dick and Vernon standing round the horses in man fashion. Dick

was all aglow with satisfaction and admiration.

"Never saw a better pair than these, Mr. Vernon," he said. "I should

think this one could jump."