Barbara was as gay and happy as possible. She had no thought of fear in riding. Beauty was a splendid little horse accustomed to being ridden across country. The beautiful little animal jumped over the low bars as easily as if she were running along the ground.

Bertha Brokaw was the first of the three girls to go over the third hurdle. Bab was close behind her.

Barbara had just risen in her saddle. "Go it, Beauty!" she whispered, gently.

At this instant, Maud Warren gave a smart cut to her horse and crossed immediately in front of Bab.

Beauty reared on her hind feet. Barbara and the horse swayed an instant in the air.

Miss Stuart rose from the chair where she sat. Mrs. Morton gave a gasp. A sudden terror shook all the spectators. Poor Mollie turned sick and faint. She imagined her beloved Bab crushed beneath a falling horse.

But Barbara was not conscious of anything but Beauty. As her little horse rose trembling on its hind feet Bab remembered to keep her reins slack.

With one pull on the horse's tender mouth, she and Beauty would have gone over backwards.

"Steady, Beauty! Steady!" she cried. The horse ceased to tremble, and a moment later stood on all four feet again.

In the meantime Maud Warren had cleared the third fence and was riding across the field. Not a sound of applause followed her. But as Beauty, with Barbara still cool and collected, sprang easily over the hurdle, loud applause rang out.

"Bully for Bab!" cried Ralph, shaking Ruth's hand in his excitement.

"What a trick! I didn't think Maud Warren capable of it," protested Dorothy to her father.

Bertha Brokaw's horse was tired. She did not finish the mile course.

Now again Barbara rode side by side with Miss Warren. Just before the last jump Bab reined in a little. She remembered the Amba.s.sador's instructions. This was only a riding match, not a racing contest. No two girls were allowed to jump a hurdle at the same time.

So Barbara gave Maud Warren the first opportunity to make the jump. But Maud was nervous; she realized she had taken an unfair advantage of Bab.

Her horse refused to jump. Bab waited only an instant. Then, urging Beauty on, they rose over their last hurdle like swallows.

Barbara came cantering back to her friends, her cheeks rosy, her eyes shining with delight.

Franz h.e.l.ler rushed forward with a big bunch of American Beauty roses.

Flowers were the only prizes given during the day. Barbara slid down off her horse.

The Amba.s.sador moved forward to shake hands with her; Bab's friends were waving their handkerchiefs; but Bab had eyes for Beauty only. A stable boy had come to lead the horse away.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Barbara and Beauty Swayed an Instant in the Air.]

"Good-bye, you little Beauty!" Bab whispered, with her brown head close to the horse's face. "You are the dearest little horse in the world.

Don't I wish you were my very own!"

Amba.s.sador Morton overheard Bab's speech.

"Let me give the horse to you, Miss Thurston," he urged. "It will give me the greatest pleasure, if you will allow it. He ought to belong to you for the pretty piece of riding you did out in the field. Let me congratulate you. Beauty's compliments and mine to the young girl who has been her own riding teacher."

A warm wave of color swept over Barbara's face. "I did not mean you to overhear me, Mr. Morton," she declared. "Forgive me. Of course I couldn't accept your horse. But I do appreciate your kindness. Thank you for lending me Beauty to ride."

Bab took her roses from Mr. h.e.l.ler and made her way to Miss Stuart.

"Child!" protested Miss Sallie, "sit down! I shall ask your mother never to let you ride a horse again unless you promise never to try to jump over another fence rail. Oh, what I went through, when I thought you were about to fall off that horse!" Miss Stuart raised both hands in horror.

"There ought to be a law against riding masters being allowed to teach women to jump over hurdles."

"But the law wouldn't act against Bab, auntie," declared Ruth, who was feeling very vain over Bab's success. "Because, you know, Barbara never took a riding lesson in her life."

In a short time Miss Stuart took her party home.

Ralph and Hugh were to return to New Haven on the night train.

"Miss Sallie," begged Mollie, as they made their way through the crowd, "there is Mr. Winthrop Latham. _Do_ ask him to come to tea with you to-morrow."

"But why, my child?" Miss Sallie naturally inquired.

"Please, ask just him, not his nephew, Reginald. Do, Aunt Sallie, dear. I can't tell you why, now, but I shall explain as soon as we get home."

"Very well, you funny little girl." And Miss Stuart complied with Mollie's request.

Mr. Winthrop Latham promised to call on Miss Stuart and her girls at their hotel the next afternoon at four o'clock.

CHAPTER XXI

EUNICE AND MR. WINTHROP LATHAM

"Ruth, may I go with you to get Eunice?" Mollie Thurston asked next day.

"Certainly, Mollie. Are not the four of us going? We want to bring little Eunice back to the hotel in style. We have had a hard enough time getting hold of her. Her old Indian grandmother would not have let us have the child if it had not been for Naki. The Indian woman seems really to be attached to Ceally and Naki."

"I am going to ask you a weeny little favor, Ruth. I won't tell you why I ask you now; but I will tell you as soon as we are in the automobile.

Don't ask Bab to come with us for Eunice," Mollie entreated.

"Don't ask Bab? Why, Mollie!" protested Ruth, in surprise. "Bab's feelings would be dreadfully hurt if I did not ask her."

"No, they won't, Ruth. I have already talked to Aunt Sallie. She told Bab she wanted her to stay in the house this morning. Aunt Sallie thinks Barbara is tired from her ride yesterday."

"Oh, very well, Mollie, I won't urge Bab to come with us, then; though I can't understand why you don't want her along. I shall be glad when you explain the mystery to me," Ruth concluded.

"That is why I wish to drive over with you. Sh! Aunt Sallie is coming.

Don't say anything before her."

"Ruth," explained Mollie, as the three girls were hurrying toward Pittsfield in their motor car, "I want to tell you why I did not wish Bab to come along with us to the hospital for Eunice. I don't know what you and Grace may think of me; but I intend to try an experiment."

"An experiment, Mollie!" Grace exclaimed. "What experiment do you intend to try?"

"Well girls," Mollie continued, "do you recall that Bab went driving, a few days ago, with Reginald Latham, Mr. Winthrop Latham and Aunt Sallie?"