Part 4 (1/2)
”Never mind; I want to look into it. So bring up a basin of water, Sis.”
The young man went up-stairs. He heard a flutter as he was about entering his old room. He went in; and Hepsy, pale, palpitating, speechless, caught in the act of arranging her brown hair,--which, like her eyes, was really beautiful,--shrank from his sight behind the door.
”Hillo! so I've found you!” he exclaimed, heartily. ”I've been hunting the house through for you. Are you afraid of your cousin?”
The blood rushed into the poor girl's face, as she gave him her quivering hand. He did not kiss her, as he had kissed his sisters; but he pressed her hand kindly, and spoke to her in a very brotherly tone, inquiring how she was, and expressing delight at seeing her again.
As soon as she had recovered her self-possession, her eyes began to beam with pleasure, and her tongue found words. When Sarah came up, the two were sitting side by side upon a trunk; and Chester was rattling away at a great rate, telling his poor cousin of his adventures.
He went into another room to perform his ablutions, and Hepsy was left alone, her veins thrilling, her head dizzy, and all her nerves unstrung.
The meeting, the surprise, the agitation and the joy, had been too much for her sensitive nature; and she sought relief in a flood of tears.
Chester was very restless. Scarcely was he seated again in the sitting-room, with his cravat freshly-tied, and his hair and whiskers newly-curled, when he thought of a call he wished to make before night.
His mother scolded him dreadfully for running off so soon; but he did not mind it, and ordered Sam to bring his horse to the door.
The children were all around him, begging him not to go; but Willie encouraged the idea, provided he could go too, and ride behind.
”O, you can't ride this time,” said Chester.
”Yes, I can. Sam tickled my foot; I couldn't ride good before,” whined the child.
But his brother did not acknowledge his claims to indemnification, and mounted the horse. Willie began to cry, and, seizing a hoe, charged upon Samuel furiously, as the author of all his woes.
Chester laughed; but his mother cried out from the doorway, ”Do let him ride! Why can't you?” and he called Sam to put the little hero up. He took him over the pommel of the saddle, and galloped away in fine style, leaving George crying with envy.
Willie was delighted, feeling no fear in Chester's arms; and when the latter asked him, in a coaxing tone, if he would go back, the little fellow said he would; and his brother swung him down by the arm from the saddle-bow. He went trudging through the sand, to meet the other children, and brag of his ride while the young man galloped gayly over the hill.
III.
EVENING AT THE FARM-HOUSE.
It was dusk when Chester returned. Riding up to the barn-door, he found Sam trying to make the cat draw a basket of eggs by a twine harness. Sam jumped up quickly, having cast off the traces, and began to whistle very innocently. The cat in harness darted around the corner, and disappeared in the shadows; while the mischief-maker swung the eggs on his arm, and, appearing suddenly to have observed Chester, stopped whistling, out of respect.
”What are you doing to that cat?” cried the young man.
”What cat? O!” said Sam, candidly, ”she's got tangled in a string somehow, and I was trying to get her out.”
”What a talent you have for lying!” laughed Chester. ”Now, do you think you can take this horse over to the village without getting into some kind of a sc.r.a.pe?”
”O, yes!”
”Will you ride slow?”
”I won't go out of a walk,” exclaimed Sam, positively.
”O, you may trot him, or go on a slow gallop, if you like; but don't ride fast, for he is jaded. Leave him at the tavern, and come home as fast as you like.”
Sam was delighted with the idea; and, having put the eggs in a safe place, mounted the horse from the block, and galloped him slowly down the road.