Lady Betty Across the WaterWilliamson, C. N. (Charles Norris)
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Lady Betty Across the Water
Williamson, C. N. (Charles Norris)
British -- United States -- Fiction; Voyages and travels -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
The bull was sure he could throw his rider at first, but finding he
couldn't, was very much surprised. His wild gallop subsided to a trot,
and embracing his great neck, Mr. Brett bent far down to one side, to
snatch up my sunshade, which lay on the grass, open and undamaged. A
few moment's later, he had steered the bull in some curious way with
his feet, so that the beast came loping stupidly near the fence. Then
Mr. Brett jumped off, and vaulted over.
"That was a good bit of sport," said he. "It reminds me of old times,
when we chaps used to ride steers for a wager. I'm a little out of
practice now; but I hope you were amused."
"I was much too terrified," I said, thankful that he was on the right
side of the fence at last.
"Then I apologise for the exhibition. The silly brute didn't know he
was _our_ bull, you see, but I reckon he'll remember now, and act
accordingly. Here's your parasol, Lady Betty. I don't think it's hurt.
As for my hat, I'll make the cows a present of it. I don't want to keep
you waiting any longer."
"Fancy Daniel when he got safely out of the lions' den going back for
his hat!" I exclaimed.
"He was just the sort of man to have done it," said Mr. Brett, "if he
hadn't a lady waiting."
After that, nothing else happened to upset us on the way to Sally.
The place where she is staying isn't a farm, but quite a small cottage
in a lovely garden, walled in with oaks and maples; and Mrs. Randal
sells seeds and cuttings.
A young girl came to the door when we rang, and asked us to "please sit
down on the piazza"; she would call Miss Woodburn. Then we had a few
minutes to wait, and Sally appeared.
I _was_ glad to see her! And when she held me tight, and kissed me, I
had to wink back some silly tears. It was so good to feel that she
cared about me, and would sympathise in everything, for I knew she
would.
After Mr. Brett had said "how do you do," and a few polite words, he
added that he would just stroll over to the Green Dairy Farm across the
way. He knew the farmer there, and would like to have a chat with him.
We settled that he was to come back for me in an hour, and then Sally
and I were left alone together.
She made me begin at the beginning and tell all my adventures, cause as
well as effect, before she would give me any of her news, or even her
opinions on the situation as far as it concerned me.
It made quite a long story, and Sally was a beautiful listener, as only
sympathetic and unselfish people can be.
"There wasn't anything else for me to do, was there?" I asked, when she
knew everything exactly as it had happened.
She complimented me on my "pluck," like the dear creature she is, and
said she hadn't it in her heart to be sorry, as things had turned out,
that I had had such a chase to find her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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