At the first blow from her whip he sprang up in anger, but the whip fell fast and with fury. Her lithe body sat him easily, like a part of him, her two heels buried in his flanks. He made leap after leap, but still she sat him, cutting his sides into whelks. He leaped high to dismount her; he wheeled suddenly, but never caught her off her guard. The whip never let up. Frighted, angry, he bolted for the plank fence. The gate was shut, but Eloise gave him the whip at every jump. "Stop her—he’ll kill her!" I cried, as I saw him rise for the leap. [Illustration: "STOP HER—HE’LL KILL HER," I CRIED.] I expected to see him strike the fence midway, and come back on her in a heap. Instead I saw Eloise lift him, with a quick firm hand, straight up towards the sky and I saw the horse land on the other side clean, and clear, without losing a stride. Then they vanished in a whirl of dust up the pike. "I’ll ride after her," I cried to Aunt Lucretia. "He’ll kill her yet." "Don’t worry," she smiled, "she’s more apt to kill him. But that jump, Jack, that jump—did you see it?" My Aunt’s eyes were ablaze with a kindled fire. I had seen it often when a race was on. She rode up to the fence. "Five feet six, Jack," she said laughing; "why, the record cross-country is five feet six—that’s the record held by Colonel Goff’s horse—" and she laughed again meaningly. It was fifteen minutes before we saw Satan coming back! He came in a gentle canter, his great head held high in pride, because Eloise was laughing and joking with him, patting his mane and calling him sweet names. "You darling Satan," she cried, as she leaped down, "I did so hate to punish you!" They say horses do not weep, but there were tears in the eyes of Satan as he rubbed his head against her breast, and nibbled the apple she held out to him. Up the road cantered a horseman in haste, riding an English hunter. Eloise looked up and smiled. "I can’t go with you to-day, Jack. Here comes Colonel Goff. I wanted you to see that jump. Isn’t he great? He’s done it a dozen times, and yet Colonel Goff really thinks he owns the champion." She laughed, her eyes shining. "I must run in and change my habit for the scolding I know is coming." I turned sullenly in my saddle and rode off. I did not wish to see Goff take her away from us. I did not enjoy the ride over the farm. The sick brood mare, with the young colt, which nickered so distressingly for Aunt Lucretia, alone excited my sympathy. I was heartsick myself. I did not even enjoy seeing Tammas and Marget. As we rode away from the dairy we met Elsie coming down the wooded path, a smile on her pretty lips. "That girl," said my Aunt, "is a fine creature, and do you know, Jack, if I know anything of breeding, she’s got rare blood in her. It shows in a hundred ways. Now, watch her."