But Alec, still white with anger, jumped to his feet and s.n.a.t.c.hing Chula"s bridle from Knight"s hands, struck the mare a stinging blow with his whip across her shoulder.
Blue Bonnet was up and at Chula"s side instantly. She wrenched the whip from Alec"s hand and her voice quivered with pa.s.sion.
"How dare you strike my horse, Alec Trent! How dare you!"
Her arms were round Chula"s neck instantly; her fingers caressing the ugly mark that was beginning to show deep in the sorrel shoulder.
For a moment Alec gazed at Blue Bonnet, dumb with amazement. Then he took a step toward her apologetically.
"I beg your pardon," he said slowly. "I beg your pardon, Blue Bonnet.
Not for striking Chula. She needed what I gave her; but for losing my temper. I"m sorry."
Blue Bonnet, still trying to smooth out the mark on Chula"s shoulder, answered not a word. There was an awkward silence for a moment, and then she suggested that the party move on.
"Will you lend me your hand, Knight?" she said. "I don"t believe I can mount alone this time."
There was a protest from all the young people.
"Blue Bonnet! You"re surely not going to ride Chula again to-day! You can"t! You"re all unstrung! She may run again; you really must not."
"Your hand, please, Knight," Blue Bonnet insisted calmly.
Alec stepped forward and took Chula"s bridle. At his touch the mare shied, almost jerking the reins from his hands.
Blue Bonnet s.n.a.t.c.hed the bridle and turned on Alec.
"Will you leave my horse alone, please?" she said angrily. "You see, she hates your touch!"
It was Kitty who strove to heal the breach.
"Don"t be ridiculous, Blue Bonnet! Chula got just what was coming to her. She might have killed you; throwing you like that--"
"She didn"t throw me, Kitty Clark! You don"t know what you"re talking about! Knight, are you going to help me, or not? If you aren"t, I can mount from that log over there."
Knight came forward hesitatingly.
"Really," he said, "I think you are very unwise, Blue Bonnet. The mare is excited yet; she might--"
"You don"t understand, Knight. There is a reason why I _must_ ride Chula--_now, this very minute_. I am not at all nervous--see?"
She held out a cool, steady hand and Knight took it for an instant in his own.
"You"re game, all right," he answered. "Here goes, then."
He lifted her into the saddle and she took up the reins firmly. For the second time she had conquered an abiding fear.
The remainder of the ride was a sad failure. Blue Bonnet felt it as she tried to entertain Knight, who kept close to her side. Alec rode with Kitty; but his eyes scarcely left Chula, who was behaving quite decently now that her frolic was over.
Kitty tried to interest Alec with stories of her Boston trip; the dinner for the Lambs; the gay theatre party; but all she got for her effort was a mere occasional, "You don"t say," or "That was fine, now, wasn"t it?"
Finally, in exasperation, Kitty rebelled.
"Forget it, Alec," she said. "That was only one of Blue Bonnet"s flashes. She adores Chula, and she knew she was only playing. You did give the horse a bad cut, though. She needed it, nevertheless. I don"t see how Blue Bonnet ever escaped breaking her neck, falling like that!"
To all of which Alec made no answer, except to suggest that they ride on and select a place for lunch.
The picnic, which had promised so much, was also a dire failure. In the first place it was a trifle early for a picnic. There was chill in the air, though the sun shone brightly.
Blue Bonnet ate her sandwiches and talked to Knight merrily; but never once did her glance meet Alec"s, or her conversation lead in his direction.
As the party reached town and the girls took their respective roads home, Blue Bonnet found herself for the first time alone with Alec.
Knight had gone ahead with Kitty and Amanda. Alec drew up beside her and for a moment they rode in silence.
"Were you hurt, Blue Bonnet?" he asked.
"Not in the least, thank you," she replied indifferently.
"I hope you aren"t going to be angry. I did exactly what I would have done to Victor, or any other beast that acted that way."
"We"ll drop the matter," Blue Bonnet said coolly. "But there"s one thing--I hope you won"t feel it your duty to tell Aunt Lucinda about what happened and spoil my vacation. It would put a ban on Chula forever more. My falling was my own fault; not hers. I slipped off in preference to--perhaps--being dragged."
All at once the light began to dawn upon Alec. He remembered the fear that had so long obsessed Blue Bonnet; the fear of being dragged.
The horses were walking now, and Alec leaned over and put his hand on the pummel of Chula"s saddle; presently it slipped down in a caress on the mare"s shoulder.
"I beg your pardon, Chula girl," he said. "I was pretty hard on you, wasn"t I? Are you ready to forgive me?"
And whether it was because at that moment Mrs. Clyde"s comfortable barn hove in sight, or in response to Alec"s pleading, Chula gave a low whinny, and her mistress, looking into Alec"s face which was lifted for her approval, smiled.
CHAPTER XVIII
KITTY"S COTILLION
"That was plucky--Blue Bonnet"s riding the mare home yesterday," Alec remarked at the breakfast-table next morning.
"What was that?" asked the General.
Alec explained.
"It was plucky," Knight remarked. "She"s a true Texan, all right. What got into the mare? Only playing, wasn"t she?"
"I suppose she was," Alec answered, deep in thought. "But it was a serious business, just the same. When Blue Bonnet fell I scarcely knew whether I"d pick her up whole. Not having a scratch is marvelous."
"She says she has a guardian angel," Knight said, laughing. "Jove, she must have. Only a kind and interested fate saved her yesterday. Well, what"s the program to-day?"