‘Did you never hear of puss in a corner?’

‘Yes,’ she said.  ’You would not think it, but I am very good at that.’

‘You are very good at something else,’ said he smiling.  ’Will you permit me to remind you, that I have not yet had the honour of an answer to my inquiry whether your witchship will ride this morning?’

If Mr. Falkirk had been away, it is not sure what she would have answered; but Hazel had no mind to draw out even silent comments from him.  So she gave a hesitating answer that yet granted the appeal.  Then wished the next moment she had not given it.  Would she need most courage to take it back, or to go on?

’If you will excuse me, then, I will go and see to the horses.  I leave you, Mr. Falkirk, to defend yourself!  I have been unable to decoy the enemy.’

With which he went off.  Mr. Falkirk’s brows were drawn pretty close.

’Miss Hazel, I should like to be told, now that we are alone, in what way I have failed to meet “truth with truth"?’

‘My dear sir, how you do scowl at me!’ said Miss Hazel, retaking her easy manner, now that her enemy was away.  ’I only used the word in a popular sense.  If I never misled you, then you had no right to mislead me.’

‘How were you misled, Miss Hazel?’

’I supposed, being somewhat simple-minded, that the reason horse, pony, and basket wagon did not appear, was that they could not be found, sir.  It shews how ignorant I am of the world still, I must acknowledge.’

‘I have no opinion of ponies and basket wagons,’ said her guardian.  ’And I do not know how well you can drive.  And you are too young, Miss Hazel, and too—­well, you are too young to be allowed to drive round the world by yourself.  When Cinderella, no, when Quickear, sets off to seek her fortune, she goes fast enough in all nature without a pony.’

’There are just two little faults in your statement, sir, considered as an answer.  I never was fast’—­said Miss Hazel,—­ ’but trying to hoodwink me is not likely to make me slow,’—­and she went off to don her habit and gather herself up for the ride.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

A COTTON MILL.

As she came to the side door, she saw Rollo just dismounting from Jeannie Deans, and immediately preparing to remove his saddle and substitute the side-saddle; which he did with the care used on a former occasion.  But Jeannie had raised her head and given a whinny of undoubted pleasure.

‘Let her go, Mr. Rollo,’ whispered Lewis.

And so released, the little brown steed set off at once, walking straight to the verandah steps, pausing there and looking up to watch Hazel, renewing her greeting in lower tones, as if this were private and confidential.  Hazel ran down the steps, and made her fingers busy with bridle and mane, giving furtive caresses.  Only when she was mounted, and Rollo had turned, his ear caught the sound of one or two little soft whispers that were meant for Jeannie’s ears alone.