Saltash’s laugh had a sound half-mocking, half-exultant.  “What said the worthy Jake to that?  Stop!  I know what he said.  He said.  ’You can call yourself by any fool name you please, but you’ve got to go to Church like a respectable citizen if I say so.’  Wasn’t that it?”

“Something like it,” Maud admitted.  “How did you know?”

“Oh, I know Jake,” said Saltash dryly.  “And what happened then?  She refused?”

“Yes, she refused.  She was frightened, but she refused.  She looked as if she were going to run away, but in the end Jake went off with her to the stables saying they would go to-night.  They were quite friends when I saw them again, but she had been crying, poor little thing.  I wish I could help her, but somehow I can’t get near enough.  Jake seems to understand her best.”

“Wonder if she will give in?” said Saltash.

They were passing through a shrubbery that led to the training-field, and there came the quick thud of hoofs galloping on short turf as they approached.

“I don’t think there is much doubt about that,” Maud said.

Saltash laughed again mockingly.  “Oh, we all know Jake is invincible, virtuous rectitude incarnate.  But you can’t hammer a girl into submission like a boy and I rather fancy that Toby is not wholly ignorant of the art of getting her own way.”

“Jake never hammered Bunny,” Maud said quietly, “But he manages him notwithstanding.”

They rounded a curve and came upon the gate that led into the field.  The galloping hoofs were close to them.  As they reached the corner two riders flashed past at full speed.  One of them—­Bunny—­lay on his horse’s neck, yelling wild encouragement to his mount.  The other,—­a slight, childish figure—­was kneeling on the saddle like a small, crouching creature, perfectly poised and wholly unafraid.  As the horse that carried her dropped to a canter on the hill, she got to her feet with absolute ease, and stood, arms out and swaying to the animal’s motion, till, as they rounded another curve, she dropped to the saddle again, and passed from sight, following in Bunny’s tracks.

“Quite a pretty exhibition!” remarked Saltash.  “Where is Jake?”

Jake himself appeared at the moment riding soberly, mounted on his favourite horse, The Hundredth Chance.  He greeted Saltash with a smile and jumped to the ground to join them at the gate.

“They’ll be round again directly.  Just riding off their spirits,” he explained in his easy drawl.  “You motored over, my lord?”

Saltash nodded with a touch of impatience.  He was watching with restless eyes for the reappearance of the girl on horseback.  She had not seen him at the gate, yet somehow his arrogance rebelled at the fact that she had passed him by.

Jake stood with The Hundredth Chance nuzzling against him.  He did not trouble himself to make conversation; that was not his way.  He also waited for the reappearance of the riders.