Peggy Stewart at School | Page 7

handed to me."
Shelby looked at the pampered poodle and then at its mistress. Then
with a guileless smile remarked:
"Now you don't sesso? Well, when I git back to the paddock with these
here horses what can't go 'long with Miss Peggy, I'll send a little nigger
boy up here for ter boost your dog up to you, but I tend horses on this
here place."
The man's dark skin grew several shades darker owing to the blood
which flooded his cheeks, and his eyes narrowed as he looked for one
second straight into Mrs. Stewart's. What possessed the woman to
antagonize everyone with whom she came in touch? Shelby had never
laid eyes upon her until that moment, but that moment had confirmed
his dislike conceived from the reports which had come to him. He now
went up to the horses. Knowing that neither of them had halters on, he
had brought two with him and now slipped them over his charges'
heads, saying as he did so:
"You've got to come 'long back with me and keep company manners,
do you know that, you disrepu'ble gad-abouts? You ain't never had no
proper eddicatin' an' now it's a-goin' to begin for fa'r. You-all are goin'

ter be larnt citified manners hot off the bat. So come 'long back to the
paddock an' git your fust lesson."
The horses toyed and played with him like a couple of children, but
went pacing away beside him, now and again pulling at his sleeve,
poking at him with their soft muzzles or mumbling at his cheeks with
their velvety lips, a pair of petted, peerless creatures and as beautiful as
any God had ever created. Now and again they stopped short to neigh a
peremptory call, as though asking the reason of this surprising conduct.
"Are you ready, Aunt Katherine?" asked Peggy.
"As soon as Jerome takes your hound in charge. I don't care to have
Toinette driven frantic with fear by the sight of her. She will grow so
excited that I shall be unable to hold her."
Now the past two hours had held a good many annoyances for Peggy
Stewart to whom annoyances had been almost unknown. Perhaps they
constitute the discipline of life, but thus far Peggy Stewart had
apparently gotten on pretty well without any radical chastening
processes. Her life had been simply, but well, ordered, and her naturally
sunny soul had grown sweet and wholesome in her little world. If
correction had been necessary Mammy's loving old heart had known
how to order it during Peggy's babyhood; Harrison had carefully
watched her childhood, and her young girlhood had been most
beautifully developed by her guardian, good Dr. Llewellyn, who loved
her as a grand-daughter. Then had come Mrs. Harold, who had done so
much for the young girl. Why could it not have gone on?
Perhaps the ordering of Peggy's life had been too smooth to develop the
best in her character, so Kismet, or whatever it is which shapes the odd
happenings of our lives, had stepped in to lay a hurdle or two to test her
ability to meet obstacles. Since seven-thirty that morning she had met
little else in one form or another, and had taken them rather gracefully,
all things considered. Her breakfast had been delayed an hour; the
breakfast itself had been far from the pleasant meal it usually proved;
she had been needlessly criticised for her habit of riding with her
beloved horses; and now poor Tzaritza, after being banished the house,

was to be debarred from following her young mistress; something
unheard of, since the hound had acted as Peggy's protectress ever since
she could follow her. The blood flooded into the girl's face, as turning
to her Aunt she said very quietly, but with a dignity which Mrs. Stewart
dared not encroach upon:
"I am very sorry to seem in any way discourteous or disobliging, Aunt
Katherine, but Daddy Neil and Compadre, have always wished Tzaritza
to accompany me when I ride. I have never felt any fear but they feel
differently, as there are, of course, some undesirable characters
between Severndale and Annapolis, and they consider Tzaritza a great
protection against any possible annoyance. We will ride on ahead, since
it is likely to annoy you, but I must go into Annapolis this morning.
Another time I shall drive with you, but I can't ask you to drive where I
must ride today. When you see some of the Annapolitan streets you
will understand why. They have not been re paved since the first
pavements were laid generations ago, and you would be most
uncomfortable. Be careful where you drive, Jess. I will meet you at the
Bank."
There was a graceful bow to Mrs. Stewart, a slight