“Well, Hagar, I am not scathed, blasted by that lightning stroke, am I? Nonsense, Hagar, do you suppose I am going to permit a hand I love to kiss to be licked over by those two curs?—pooh! go wash it.” “They are _not_ curs, they are fine splendid pointers! Look at their shining black coats and eyes like coals! and their _love_ has more generous disinterestedness than—” And here she paused, her expiring flash of spirit died out beneath the steady inquiring gaze of the soft, deep blue eyes, striking up through which came a will, a purpose, the strength of which was dimly guessed from the depths from which it seemed to come. “Than _what_, Hagar?” “Nothing!” said Hagar, as her high heart-throbbing subsided. He drew her arm again within his own, and they proceeded to the stables. At the sight of his mistress, Starlight neighed loud for joy, and breaking away, cantered up to meet her, pawed the ground, stretched out his head, and couched it in the open palms she held to receive it. Hagar smiled in his eyes, full of the earnestness she could not speak, and stroking his jet black neck, let him lay his chin upon her shoulders alternately, and rub his mouth upon her neck and cheek, snorting with joy between times. “See, Raymond! see,” she said, with her momentary anger all conjured away. “See how the very _want_ of the gift of speech makes his eyes and motions so eloquent! See how glad he is to see me! don’t I understand you, Starlight? and don’t you know every word I am saying?” said she, caressing him. But now her eyes fell upon Raymond, who was standing with folded arms, curling lip, and scornful eyes, regarding her. “Why do you look at me in that way, Raymond?” “You have no refinement, no delicacy. Your dress pawed over and soiled by your canine pets—your ringlets snuffed at, and your neck rubbed by the nose of your pony. I am glad that in a few days I shall be able to remove you from all these things.” “But I wish to take Starlight and Remus and Romulus with me,” said Hagar, as she turned away from the stable, and they sauntered on. “You cannot do so.” “Why?” she asked, anxiously. “I do not like dogs and horses myself, and I very much _dis_like your attachment to them, and I utterly disapprove of your use of them; when you cannot walk there are carriages to be had!” “You never told me that you disapproved of my habits before!” “I had no right to _express_ it before, and yet you learned it from my silence, and now I say it explicitly, and expect that my tastes be consulted in the matter.”