The young man in the carriage leaned forward.

“Do you ride well enough for that?”

“Of course, I do.”

This was hardly true, as she had never ridden at a fast pace in her life.  She did not think it necessary to own to this, however.

The young man was highly amused.

“Well, little lady, we’ll try your skill.  If you reach the Fair grounds gate before we do, I’ll give you a box of candy.  Now when I count three and say go, we’ll both start.  Now one, two, three, go.”

Beth gave Dollie a cut with the switch.  She was bound to win that box of candy.

Dollie, surprised by the sudden blow, leaped forward, almost unseating Beth who, however, managed in some way not to fall.

The young man had a fine horse which also started forward at a good fast pace, and soon nosed ahead of his rival.

Dollie, not to be outdone, quickened her gait.  Both horses began to feel the contagion of the race, especially Dollie who had been, as January said, a race horse in her day.  Her mouth tightened on the bit.

Beth’s blood quickened too.  After she found she could cling on, she was not a particle frightened but began to enjoy the sport.

The young man turned to Lulu, saying: 

“She does well for such a little thing, doesn’t she?”

He touched his horse with the whip.  It went faster.  Whereupon Dollie took the bit so completely that Beth had no control over her.  Her racing blood was thoroughly aroused, and it would have taken an extremely strong hold to quiet her.  She simply flew, and Beth began to be scared.  The words of January flashed through her mind:  “She’ll go so fast, you’ll wish you hadn’t got on her.”

Nose to nose the horses sped over the hard shell road.  The situation grew critical for Beth.

She wondered what her mother would say if she were thrown and her lifeless body were carried home.

“She will be so sorry that she scolded me yesterday.  I wish I could tell her that I know I deserved it.  I don’t want to die.”

The world seemed more beautiful than ever now that death seemed near her.

“Whoa, Dollie, whoa,” she cried.

But Dollie paid not the slightest attention.  With head curved well down she sped as fast as in her palmiest racing days.  Slowly but surely she forged ahead of her fast rival.

“The horse is running away with the child.  Stop her, stop her,” cried Cousin Lulu in alarm.

Her warning came too late.

They were now opposite the Fair grounds, which had a very high fence surrounding them.  There were two gates, one for pedestrians and the other for carriages.

Dollie swerved in at the foot passageway and her helpless rider could not stop her.  People scattered in every direction before the runaway horse.  Even the gate-keeper stepped aside, dropping his tickets in his fright.