“Why, miss,” said William, “she’d kill you. I wouldn’t want to show her myself. Mr. Haughton, miss, must have been joking. Honest, miss, you couldn’t ride Hermione.” The man was respectful but firm. “Think what Miss Cushing would say,” said Caroline. “But I tell you I can,” retorted Angelica. She paid no attention to Caroline; her temper flashed up. “You don’t seem to understand. I owned that mare when she was Lady Washington, and broke her all myself, and schooled her, too. Mr. Haughton hasn’t any ‘hands,’ and he ought to know better than to raise a whip on her.” William grinned at the unvarnished statement about his master’s “hands.” “Are you the young lady what called out to him in the ring?” he asked. “Yes, I am,” said Angelica. “And if he’d done what I told him to she would have won. Here’s our Emanuel,” she went on. “He’ll tell you I can ride her. Emanuel,” she demanded, as the negro approached, “haven’t I ridden Lady Washington?” “You jest have, Miss Angie,” said Emanuel. “Why,” said he, turning to William, “this heah young lady have rode that maah ovah six feet. She done won the high jump at ouah hunt show. That’s Lady Washington all right,” he went on, looking at the head poked out over the stall. “I got huh maahk on mah ahm foh to remembah huh.” The stable-boy grinned. “Well, she never bit me,” said Angelica. “The young lady,” said William, doubtfully, “wants to ride her in the five-foot-six class. She says Mr. Haughton said she might.” “Oh, Miss Angelica,” interposed Caroline, “you’ll be kilt!” “You’re a goose,” said Angelica. “I’ve ridden her hundreds of times.” “I don’t know how Mistah Jim would like it,” said Emanuel; “but she could ride that maah all right, you jest bet.” William was getting interested. He was not so concerned about Mr. Stanton’s likes as he was that his stable should take some ribbons. “Mr. Haughton said you might ride her?” he repeated. “Of course he did,” said Angelica; “I just left him in Mrs. Everett’s box, and I’ve got my own saddle and everything.” “All right, miss,” said William. “Get the saddle, Tim.” William did not believe that Mr. Haughton had given any such orders, but he had gotten into trouble not long before by refusing to give a mount to a friend of Haughton’s whom he did not know and who came armed only with verbal authority. He knew that if any harm was done he could hide behind that occurrence. “I want a double-reined snaffle,” said Angelica. “Emanuel,” she added, “you have the bit I used to ride her with. Bring my own bridle.”