“You would oblige us exceedingly,” replied the lady, kindly.

“What a lovely Sister!  It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to be a Brother here,” whispered Alexander to his mother.  He did not speak too low for the sensitive ear of the girl to catch his words, for she blushed deeply, and the rosy little mouth curled proudly and defiantly.  Visibly offended, she turned away from the gentleman, and simply saying “Come” to the lady, walked on ahead, leading the little child by the hand, and giving no apparent heed to the party behind.

Retracing their steps for a short distance, they turned into a side street, and here—­wonder of wonders!—­were some more people.  A horse stood, saddled and bridled, before the door of one of the houses, and a man was just in the act of mounting.  He did not seem to be a particularly expert horseman, or his steed the most patient of animals; for the former displayed his awkwardness in attempting to mount, and the latter, as soon as he became aware of his master’s intention, kicked, and sprang aside.  The man sought to quiet him, patted his neck, and once more tried the difficult task of getting on his back; but the sight of the approaching strangers now added to his clumsiness, and rendered him even more helpless than before.  He had scarcely put his foot in the stirrup, when the animal pranced, kicked and reared, jerking the reins from his owner’s hands, and throwing him down on the pavement; after which he started at full speed down the street, directly towards the advancing party.  As soon as the horse showed a disposition to be restive, the girl had led the child close up against the side of the house, and looking back at the strangers following her, she observed an expression of contempt on the young man’s face, as he watched the awkward movements of the Brother; being himself a skilful rider and able, with his supple yet powerful frame, to master even the wildest horse.

When the man fell to the ground, and the unrestrained animal came rapidly onward, the strangers also moved hastily aside.  But the little child had, in its fright, broken loose from the girl’s hand, and ran into the middle of the street to pick up a ball which had rolled from its hand.  A cry of horror broke from every lip, and in another moment the child would have been dashed under the horse’s hoofs as she stooped to pick up the toy.  But before the girl could reach the little one, the strange gentleman, with one long stride, was on the spot, and had seized the child in his arms.  With a firm hand he grasped the reins, and brought the terrified beast to a standstill by sheer strength.  It all happened so quickly that, looking at the child playing merrily with its ball a moment after, one could almost have fancied it was all a dream.  The girl, who had turned as pale as death, was leaning against the side of the house; but quickly regaining her self-control, she hastened to her little charge, saying, with trembling voice, as she shyly glanced at its preserver, “I thank you, sir; you have saved the little one entrusted to me from great peril.”