There was a gentleman of the name of Blantyre staying at the hall;he always rode Lizzie, and praised her so much that one day Lady Anneordered the side-saddle to be put on her, and the other saddle on me.When we came to the door the gentleman seemed very uneasy.
"How is this?" he said. "Are you tired of your good Black Auster?"
"Oh, no, not at all," she replied, "but I am amiable enough to let youride him for once, and I will try your charming Lizzie. You must confessthat in size and appearance she is far more like a lady's horse than myown favorite."
"Do let me advise you not to mount her," he said; "she is a charmingcreature, but she is too nervous for a lady. I assure you, she is notperfectly safe; let me beg you to have the saddles changed."
"My dear cousin," said Lady Anne, laughing, "pray do not trouble yourgood careful head about me. I have been a horsewoman ever since I was ababy, and I have followed the hounds a great many times, though I knowyou do not approve of ladies hunting; but still that is the fact, andI intend to try this Lizzie that you gentlemen are all so fond of; soplease help me to mount, like a good friend as you are."
There was no more to be said; he placed her carefully on the saddle,looked to the bit and curb, gave the reins gently into her hand, andthen mounted me. Just as we were moving off a footman came out with aslip of paper and message from the Lady Harriet. "Would they ask thisquestion for her at Dr. Ashley's, and bring the answer?"
The village was about a mile off, and the doctor's house was the lastin it. We went along gayly enough till we came to his gate. There was ashort drive up to the house between tall evergreens.
Blantyre alighted at the gate, and was going to open it for Lady Anne,but she said, "I will wait for you here, and you can hang Auster's reinon the gate."
He looked at her doubtfully. "I will not be five minutes," he said.
"Oh, do not hurry yourself; Lizzie and I shall not run away from you."
He hung my rein on one of the iron spikes, and was soon hidden among thetrees. Lizzie was standing quietly by the side of the road a few pacesoff, with her back to me. My young mistress was sitting easily with aloose rein, humming a little song. I listened to my rider's footstepsuntil they reached the house, and heard him knock at the door. There wasa meadow on the opposite side of the road, the gate of which stood open;just then some cart horses and several young colts came trotting out ina very disorderly manner, while a boy behind was cracking a great whip.The colts were wild and frolicsome, and one of them bolted across theroad and blundered up against Lizzie's hind legs, and whether it wasthe stupid colt, or the loud cracking of the whip, or both together, Icannot say, but she gave a violent kick, and dashed off into a headlonggallop. It was so sudden that Lady Anne was nearly unseated, but shesoon recovered herself. I gave a loud, shrill neigh for help; again andagain I neighed, pawing the ground impatiently, and tossing my head toget the rein loose. I had not long to wait. Blantyre came running tothe gate; he looked anxiously about, and just caught sight of the flyingfigure, now far away on the road. In an instant he sprang to the saddle.I needed no whip, no spur, for I was as eager as my rider; he saw it,and giving me a free rein, and leaning a little forward, we dashed afterthem.
For about a mile and a half the road ran straight, and then bent to theright, after which it divided into two roads. Long before we came tothe bend she was out of sight. Which way had she turned? A woman wasstanding at her garden gate, shading her eyes with her hand, and lookingeagerly up the road. Scarcely drawing the rein, Blantyre shouted, "Whichway?" "To the right!" cried the woman, pointing with her hand, and awaywe went up the right-hand road; then for a moment we caught sight ofher; another bend and she was hidden again. Several times we caughtglimpses, and then lost them. We scarcely seemed to gain ground uponthem at all. An old road-mender was standing near a heap of stones, hisshovel dropped and his hands raised. As we came near he made a sign tospeak. Blantyre drew the rein a little. "To the common, to the common,sir; she has turned off there." I knew this common very well; it was forthe most part very uneven ground, covered with heather and dark-greenfurze bushes, with here and there a scrubby old thorn-tree; there werealso open spaces of fine short grass, with ant-hills and mole-turnseverywhere; the worst place I ever knew for a headlong gallop.
We had hardly turned on the common, when we caught sight again of thegreen habit flying on before us. My lady's hat was gone, and her longbrown hair was streaming behind her. Her head and body were thrown back,as if she were pulling with all her remaining strength, and as if thatstrength were nearly exhausted. It was clear that the roughness of theground had very much lessened Lizzie's speed, and there seemed a chancethat we might overtake her.
While we were on the highroad, Blantyre had given me my head; but now,with a light hand and a practiced eye, he guided me over the ground insuch a masterly manner that my pace was scarcely slackened, and we weredecidedly gaining on them.
About halfway across the heath there had been a wide dike recently cut,and the earth from the cutting was cast up roughly on the other side.Surely this would stop them! But no; with scarcely a pause Lizzie tookthe leap, stumbled among the rough clods and fell. Blantyre groaned,"Now, Auster, do your best!" He gave me a steady rein. I gathered myselfwell together and with one determined leap cleared both dike and bank.
Motionless among the heather, with her face to the earth, lay my pooryoung mistress. Blantyre kneeled down and called her name: there was nosound. Gently he turned her face upward: it was ghastly white andthe eyes were closed. "Annie, dear Annie, do speak!" But there was noanswer. He unbuttoned her habit, loosened her collar, felt her hands andwrist, then started up and looked wildly round him for help.
At no great distance there were two men cutting turf, who, seeing Lizzierunning wild without a rider, had left their work to catch her.
Blantyre's halloo soon brought them to the spot. The foremost man seemedmuch troubled at the sight, and asked what he could do.
"Can you ride?"
"Well, sir, I bean't much of a horseman, but I'd risk my neck for theLady Anne; she was uncommon good to my wife in the winter."
"Then mount this horse, my friend--your neck will be quite safe--andride to the doctor's and ask him to come instantly; then on to the hall;tell them all that you know, and bid them send me the carriage, withLady Anne's maid and help. I shall stay here."
"All right, sir, I'll do my best, and I pray God the dear young lady mayopen her eyes soon." Then, seeing the other man, he called out, "Here,Joe, run for some water, and tell my missis to come as quick as she canto the Lady Anne."
He then somehow scrambled into the saddle, and with a "Gee up" and aclap on my sides with both his legs, he started on his journey, makinga little circuit to avoid the dike. He had no whip, which seemed totrouble him; but my pace soon cured that difficulty, and he found thebest thing he could do was to stick to the saddle and hold me in, whichhe did manfully. I shook him as little as I could help, but once ortwice on the rough ground he called out, "Steady! Woah! Steady!" On thehighroad we were all right; and at the doctor's and the hall he did hiserrand like a good man and true. They asked him in to take a drop ofsomething. "No, no," he said; "I'll be back to 'em again by a short cutthrough the fields, and be there afore the carriage."
There was a great deal of hurry and excitement after the news becameknown. I was just turned into my box; the saddle and bridle were takenoff, and a cloth thrown over me.
Ginger was saddled and sent off in great haste for Lord George, and Isoon heard the carriage roll out of the yard.
It seemed a long time before Ginger came back, and before we were leftalone; and then she told me all that she had seen.
"I can't tell much," she said. "We went a gallop nearly all the way, andgot there just as the doctor rode up. There was a woman sitting on theground with the lady's head in her lap. The doctor poured something intoher mouth, but all that I heard was, 'She is not dead.' Then I was ledoff by a man to a little distance. After awhile she was taken tothe c
arriage, and we came home together. I heard my master say toa gentleman who stopped him to inquire, that he hoped no bones werebroken, but that she had not spoken yet."
When Lord George took Ginger for hunting, York shook his head; he saidit ought to be a steady hand to train a horse for the first season, andnot a random rider like Lord George.
Ginger used to like it very much, but sometimes when she came back Icould see that she had been very much strained, and now and then shegave a short cough. She had too much spirit to complain, but I could nothelp feeling anxious about her.
Two days after the accident Blantyre paid me a visit; he patted me andpraised me very much; he told Lord George that he was sure the horseknew of Annie's danger as well as he did. "I could not have held him inif I would," said he, "she ought never to ride any other horse." I foundby their conversation that my young mistress was now out of danger, andwould soon be able to ride again. This was good news to me and I lookedforward to a happy life.
25 Reuben Smith
Now I must say a little about Reuben Smith, who was left in charge ofthe stables when York went to London. No one more thoroughly understoodhis business than he did, and when he was all right there could not bea more faithful or valuable man. He was gentle and very clever in hismanagement of horses, and could doctor them almost as well as afarrier, for he had lived two years with a veterinary surgeon. He was afirst-rate driver; he could take a four-in-hand or a tandem as easilyas a pair. He was a handsome man, a good scholar, and had very pleasantmanners. I believe everybody liked him; certainly the horses did. Theonly wonder was that he should be in an under situation and not in theplace of a head coachman like York; but he had one great fault and thatwas the love of drink. He was not like some men, always at it; he usedto keep steady for weeks or months together, and then he would breakout and have a "bout" of it, as York called it, and be a disgrace tohimself, a terror to his wife, and a nuisance to all that had to do withhim. He was, however, so useful that two or three times York had hushedthe matter up and kept it from the earl's knowledge; but one night, whenReuben had to drive a party home from a ball he was so drunk that hecould not hold the reins, and a gentleman of the party had to mount thebox and drive the ladies home. Of course, this could not be hidden, andReuben was at once dismissed; his poor wife and little children had toturn out of the pretty cottage by the park gate and go where they could.Old Max told me all this, for it happened a good while ago; but shortlybefore Ginger and I came Smith had been taken back again. York hadinterceded for him with the earl, who is very kind-hearted, and the manhad promised faithfully that he would never taste another drop as longas he lived there. He had kept his promise so well that York thought hemight be safely trusted to fill his place while he was away, and he wasso clever and honest that no one else seemed so well fitted for it.
It was now early in April, and the family was expected home some time inMay. The light brougham was to be fresh done up, and as Colonel Blantyrewas obliged to return to his regiment it was arranged that Smith shoulddrive him to the town in it, and ride back; for this purpose he took thesaddle with him, and I was chosen for the journey. At the station thecolonel put some money into Smith's hand and bid him good-by, saying,"Take care of your young mistress, Reuben, and don't let Black Auster behacked about by any random young prig that wants to ride him--keep himfor the lady."
We left the carriage at the maker's, and Smith rode me to the WhiteLion, and ordered the hostler to feed me well, and have me ready for himat four o'clock. A nail in one of my front shoes had started as I camealong, but the hostler did not notice it till just about four o'clock.Smith did not come into the yard till five, and then he said he shouldnot leave till six, as he had met with some old friends. The man thentold him of the nail, and asked if he should have the shoe looked to.
"No," said Smith, "that will be all right till we get home."
He spoke in a very loud, offhand way, and I thought it very unlike himnot to see about the shoe, as he was generally wonderfully particularabout loose nails in our shoes. He did not come at six nor seven, noreight, and it was nearly nine o'clock before he called for me, and thenit was with a loud, rough voice. He seemed in a very bad temper, andabused the hostler, though I could not tell what for.
The landlord stood at the door and said, "Have a care, Mr. Smith!" buthe answered angrily with an oath; and almost before he was out of thetown he began to gallop, frequently giving me a sharp cut with his whip,though I was going at full speed. The moon had not yet risen, and it wasvery dark. The roads were stony, having been recently mended; going overthem at this pace, my shoe became looser, and as we neared the turnpikegate it came off.
If Smith had been in his right senses he would have been sensible ofsomething wrong in my pace, but he was too drunk to notice.
Beyond the turnpike was a long piece of road, upon which fresh stoneshad just been laid--large sharp stones, over which no horse could bedriven quickly without risk of danger. Over this road, with one shoegone, I was forced to gallop at my utmost speed, my rider meanwhilecutting into me with his whip, and with wild curses urging me to gostill faster. Of course my shoeless foot suffered dreadfully; the hoofwas broken and split down to the very quick, and the inside was terriblycut by the sharpness of the stones.
This could not go on; no horse could keep his footing under suchcircumstances; the pain was too great. I stumbled, and fell withviolence on both my knees. Smith was flung off by my fall, and, owing tothe speed I was going at, he must have fallen with great force. I soonrecovered my feet and limped to the side of the road, where it was freefrom stones. The moon had just risen above the hedge, and by its lightI could see Smith lying a few yards beyond me. He did not rise; he madeone slight effort to do so, and then there was a heavy groan. I couldhave groaned, too, for I was suffering intense pain both from my footand knees; but horses are used to bear their pain in silence. I utteredno sound, but I stood there and listened. One more heavy groan fromSmith; but though he now lay in the full moonlight I could see nomotion. I could do nothing for him nor myself, but, oh! how I listenedfor the sound of horse, or wheels, or footsteps! The road was not muchfrequented, and at this time of the night we might stay for hours beforehelp came to us. I stood watching and listening. It was a calm, sweetApril night; there were no sounds but a few low notes of a nightingale,and nothing moved but the white clouds near the moon and a brown owlthat flitted over the hedge. It made me think of the summer nights longago, when I used to lie beside my mother in the green pleasant meadow atFarmer Grey's.
26 How it Ended
It must have been nearly midnight when I heard at a great distance thesound of a horse's feet. Sometimes the sound died away, then it grewclearer again and nearer. The road to Earlshall led through woods thatbelonged to the earl; the sound came in that direction, and I hoped itmight be some one coming in search of us. As the sound came nearer andnearer I was almost sure I could distinguish Ginger's step; a littlenearer still, and I could tell she was in the dog-cart. I neighedloudly, and was overjoyed to hear an answering neigh from Ginger, andmen's voices. They came slowly over the stones, and stopped at the darkfigure that lay upon the ground.
One of the men jumped out, and stooped down over it. "It is Reuben," hesaid, "and he does not stir!"
The other man followed, and bent over him. "He's dead," he said; "feelhow cold his hands are."
They raised him up, but there was no life, and his hair was soaked withblood. They laid him down again, and came and looked at me. They soonsaw my cut knees.
"Why, the horse has been down and thrown him! Who would have thought theblack horse would have done that? Nobody thought he could fall. Reubenmust have been lying here for hours! Odd, too, that the horse has notmoved from the place."
Robert then attempted to lead me forward. I made a step, but almost fellagain.
"Halloo! he's bad in his foot as well as his knees. Look here--his hoofis cut all to pieces; he might well come down, poor fellow! I tell youwhat, Ned, I'm afraid it h
asn't been all right with Reuben. Just thinkof his riding a horse over these stones without a shoe! Why, if he hadbeen in his right senses he would just as soon have tried to ride himover the moon. I'm afraid it has been the old thing over again. PoorSusan! she looked awfully pale when she came to my house to ask ifhe had not come home. She made believe she was not a bit anxious, andtalked of a lot of things that might have kept him. But for all that shebegged me to go and meet him. But what must we do? There's the horse toget home as well as the body, and that will be no easy matter."
Then followed a conversation between them, till it was agreed thatRobert, as the groom, should lead me, and that Ned must take the body.It was a hard job to get it into the dog-cart, for there was no one tohold Ginger; but she knew as well as I did what was going on, and stoodas still as a stone. I noticed that, because, if she had a fault, it wasthat she was impatient in standing.
Ned started off very slowly with his sad load, and Robert came andlooked at my foot again; then he took his handkerchief and bound itclosely round, and so he led me home. I shall never forget that nightwalk; it was more than three miles. Robert led me on very slowly, and Ilimped and hobbled on as well as I could with great pain. I am sure hewas sorry for me, for he often patted and encouraged me, talking to mein a pleasant voice.