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1We had hardly turned on the common, when we caught sight again of the green habit flying on before us. My lady's hat was
2gone, and her long brown hair was streaming behind her. Her head and body were thrown back, as if she were pulling with
3all her remaining strength, and as if that strength were nearly exhausted. It was clear that the roughness of the ground
4had very much lessened Lizzie's speed, and there seemed a chance that we might overtake her. While we were on the
5highroad, Blantyre had given me my head; but now, with a light hand and a practiced eye, he guided me over the ground in
6such a masterly manner that my pace was scarcely slackened, and we were decidedly gaining on them. About halfway across
7the heath there had been a wide dike recently cut, and the earth from the cutting was cast up roughly on the other side.
8Surely this would stop them! But no; with scarcely a pause Lizzie took the leap, stumbled among the rough clods and
9fell. Blantyre groaned, "Now, Auster, do your best!" He gave me a steady rein. I gathered myself well together and with
10one determined leap cleared both dike and bank. Motionless among the heather, with her face to the earth, lay my poor
11young mistress. Blantyre kneeled down and called her name: there was no sound. Gently he turned her face upward: it was
12ghastly white and the eyes were closed. "Annie, dear Annie, do speak!" But there was no answer. He unbuttoned her habit,
13loosened her collar, felt her hands and wrist, then started up and looked wildly round him for help. At no great
14distance there were two men cutting turf, who, seeing Lizzie running wild without a rider, had left their work to catch
15her. Blantyre's halloo soon brought them to the spot. The foremost man seemed much troubled at the sight, and asked what
16he could do. "Can you ride?" "Well, sir, I bean't much of a horseman, but I'd risk my neck for the Lady Anne; she was
17uncommon good to my wife in the winter." "Then mount this horse, my friend--your neck will be quite safe--and ride to
18the 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
19carriage, with Lady Anne's maid and help. I shall stay here." "All right, sir, I'll do my best, and I pray God the dear
20young lady may open her eyes soon." Then, seeing the other man, he called out, "Here, Joe, run for some water, and tell
21my missis to come as quick as she can to the Lady Anne." He then somehow scrambled into the saddle, and with a "Gee up"
22and a clap on my sides with both his legs, he started on his journey, making a little circuit to avoid the dike. He had
23no whip, which seemed to trouble him; but my pace soon cured that difficulty, and he found the best thing he could do
24was to stick to the saddle and hold me in, which he did manfully. I shook him as little as I could help, but once or
25twice on the rough ground he called out, "Steady! Woah! Steady!" On the highroad we were all right; and at the doctor's
26and the hall he did his errand like a good man and true. They asked him in to take a drop of something. "No, no," he
27said; "I'll be back to 'em again by a short cut through the fields, and be there afore the carriage." There was a great
28deal of hurry and excitement after the news became known. I was just turned into my box; the saddle and bridle were
29taken off, and a cloth thrown over me. Ginger was saddled and sent off in great haste for Lord George, and I soon heard
30the carriage roll out of the yard. It seemed a long time before Ginger came back, and before we were left alone; and
31then she told me all that she had seen. "I can't tell much," she said. "We went a gallop nearly all the way, and got
32there just as the doctor rode up. There was a woman sitting on the ground with the lady's head in her lap. The doctor
33poured something into her mouth, but all that I heard was, 'She is not dead.' Then I was led off by a man to a little
34distance. After awhile she was taken to the carriage, and we came home together. I heard my master say to a gentleman
35who stopped him to inquire, that he hoped no bones were broken, but that she had not spoken yet." When Lord George took
36Ginger for hunting, York shook his head; he said it ought to be a steady hand to train a horse for the first season, and
37not a random rider like Lord George. Ginger used to like it very much, but sometimes when she came back I could see that
38she had been very much strained, and now and then she gave a short cough. She had too much spirit to complain, but I
39could not help feeling anxious about her. Two days after the accident Blantyre paid me a visit; he patted me and praised
40me very much; he told Lord George that he was sure the horse knew of Annie's danger as well as he did. "I could not have
41held him in if I would," said he, "she ought never to ride any other horse." I found by their conversation that my young
42mistress was now out of danger, and would soon be able to ride again. This was good news to me and I looked forward to a
43happy life. 25 Reuben Smith Now I must say a little about Reuben Smith, who was left in charge of the stables when York
44went to London. No one more thoroughly understood his business than he did, and when he was all right there could not be
45a more faithful or valuable man. He was gentle and very clever in his management of horses, and could doctor them almost
46as well as a farrier, for he had lived two years with a veterinary surgeon. He was a first-rate driver; he could take a
47four-in-hand or a tandem as easily as a pair. He was a handsome man, a good scholar, and had very pleasant manners. I
48believe everybody liked him; certainly the horses did. The only wonder was that he should be in an under situation and
49not in the place of a head coachman like York; but he had one great fault and that was the love of drink. He was not
50like some men, always at it; he used to keep steady for weeks or months together, and then he would break out and have a
51"bout" of it, as York called it, and be a disgrace to himself, a terror to his wife, and a nuisance to all that had to
52do with him. He was, however, so useful that two or three times York had hushed the matter up and kept it from the
53earl's knowledge; but one night, when Reuben had to drive a party home from a ball he was so drunk that he could not
54hold the reins, and a gentleman of the party had to mount the box and drive the ladies home. Of course, this could not
55be hidden, and Reuben was at once dismissed; his poor wife and little children had to turn out of the pretty cottage by
56the park gate and go where they could. Old Max told me all this, for it happened a good while ago; but shortly before
57Ginger and I came Smith had been taken back again. York had interceded for him with the earl, who is very kind-hearted,
58and the man had promised faithfully that he would never taste another drop as long as he lived there. He had kept his
59promise so well that York thought he might be safely trusted to fill his place while he was away, and he was so clever
60and honest that no one else seemed so well fitted for it. It was now early in April, and the family was expected home
61some time in May. The light brougham was to be fresh done up, and as Colonel Blantyre was obliged to return to his
62regiment it was arranged that Smith should drive him to the town in it, and ride back; for this purpose he took the
63saddle with him, and I was chosen for the journey. At the station the colonel put some money into Smith's hand and bid
64him good-by, saying, "Take care of your young mistress, Reuben, and don't let Black Auster be hacked about by any random
65young prig that wants to ride him--keep him for the lady."
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