Part 39 (1/2)
”Step on--it is easy to say, but--”
”This way,” said Nora. She seized hold of the horn of the saddle, put her foot into the stirrup and sprang upon Polly's back. ”Oh, there's where the pants come in,” she added as her dress caught on to the rear of the saddle. ”Now up you go. Make up your mind you are going to DO it, not going to TRY.”
A look of serious determination came into Jane's face, a look that her friends would have recognised as the precursor of a resolute and determined attempt to achieve the thing in hand. She seized the horn of the saddle, put her foot into the stirrup and ”stepped on.”
The riding lesson was an unqualified success, though for some reason, known only to herself, Polly signalised the event by promptly running away immediately her head was turned homeward, and coming back down the lane at a thundering gallop.
”h.e.l.lo!” cried Nora, running out to meet them. ”Why, Jane, you have been fooling us all along. You needn't tell me this is your first ride.”
”My very first,” said Jane, ”but I hope not my last.”
”But, my dear,” said Mrs. Gwynne, who had also come out to see the return, ”you are doing famously.”
”Am I?” cried Jane, her face aglow and her eyes s.h.i.+ning. ”I think it is splendid. Shall we ride again to-day, Larry?”
”Right away after breakfast and all day long if you like. You are a born horsewoman, Jane.”
”Weren't you afraid when Polly ran off with you like that?” inquired Nora.
”Afraid? I didn't know there was any danger. Was there any?” inquired Jane.
”Not a bit,” said Nora, ”so long as you kept your head.”
”But there really was no danger, was there, Larry?” insisted Jane.
”None at all, Jane,” said Nora, ”I a.s.sure you. Larry got rattled when he saw you tear off in that wild fas.h.i.+on, but I knew you would be all right. Come in; breakfast is ready.”
”And so am I,” said Jane. ”I haven't been so hungry I don't know when.”
”Why, she's not plain-looking after all,” said Nora to her mother as Jane strode manlike off to her room.
”Plain-looking?” exclaimed her mother. ”I never thought her plain-looking. She has that beauty that s.h.i.+nes from within, a beauty that never fades, but grows with every pa.s.sing year.”
A council of war was called by Nora immediately after breakfast, at which plans were discussed for the best employment of the three precious days during which the visitors were to be at the ranch. There were so many things to be done that unless some system were adopted valuable time would be wasted.
”It appears to me, Miss Nora,” said Dr. Brown after a somewhat prolonged discussion, ”that to accomplish all the things that you have suggested, and they all seem not only delightful but necessary, we shall require at least a month of diligent application.”
”At the very least,” cried Nora.
”So what are we going to do?” said the doctor.
It was finally decided that the Browns should extend their stay at Lakeside House for a week, after which the doctor should proceed to the coast and be met on his return at Banff by Jane, with Nora as her guest.
”Then that's all settled,” said Larry. ”Now what's for to-day?”
As if in answer to that question a honk of a motor car was heard outside. Nora rushed to the door, saying, ”That's Mrs. Waring-Gaunt.”
But she returned hastily with heightened colour.
”Larry,” she said, ”it's that Mr. Wakeham.”
”Wakeham,” cried Larry. ”What's got him up so early, I wonder?” with a swift look at Jane.