A young lady, a cousin of Beth's, was spending the winter in Jacksonville that year, and was very popular in society. On this particular afternoon she, too, was driving on the shell road and chanced upon Beth. She and her escort laughed so heartily over the child's ludicrous appearance that Beth, at first, was inclined to be offended. However, she drew Dollie up alongside of the carriage. "Are you laughing because we're going slow? I'm not a bit afraid. Say, Cousin Lulu, would you like to have a race with me?" Lulu and her escort laughed harder than ever. Beth tried to look more dignified. "I bet I could beat you, Cousin Lulu. Are you afraid I would? Come on and try." The young man in the carriage leaned forward. "Do you ride well enough for that?" "Of course, I do." This was hardly true, as she had never ridden at a fast pace in her life. She did not think it necessary to own to this, however. The young man was highly amused. "Well, little lady, we'll try your skill. If you reach the Fair grounds gate before we do, I'll give you a box of candy. Now when I count three and say go, we'll both start. Now one, two, three, go." Beth gave Dollie a cut with the switch. She was bound to win that box of candy. Dollie, surprised by the sudden blow, leaped forward, almost unseating Beth who, however, managed in some way not to fall. The young man had a fine horse which also started forward at a good fast pace, and soon nosed ahead of his rival. Dollie, not to be outdone, quickened her gait. Both horses began to feel the contagion of the race, especially Dollie who had been, as January said, a race horse in her day. Her mouth tightened on the bit. Beth's blood quickened too. After she found she could cling on, she was not a particle frightened but began to enjoy the sport. The young man turned to Lulu, saying: "She does well for such a little thing, doesn't she?" He touched his horse with the whip. It went faster. Whereupon Dollie took the bit so completely that Beth had no control over her. Her racing blood was thoroughly aroused, and it would have taken an extremely strong hold to quiet her. She simply flew, and Beth began to be scared. The words of January flashed through her mind: "She'll go so fast, you'll wish you hadn't got on her." Nose to nose the horses sped over the hard shell road. The situation grew critical for Beth. She wondered what her mother would say if she were thrown and her lifeless body were carried home. "She will be so sorry that she scolded me yesterday. I wish I could tell her that I know I deserved it. I don't want to die." The world seemed more beautiful than ever now that death seemed near her. "Whoa, Dollie, whoa," she cried. But Dollie paid not the slightest attention. With head curved well down she sped as fast as in her palmiest racing days. Slowly but surely she forged ahead of her fast rival.