"My dear," spoke up Miss Worth, "I shall have to hold you by the hand until I get you out of here. Whatever prompted you to go in with that vicious horse?" The hostler mumbled to himself: "I'll sho' slap er padlock on dat hoss 'fore sun-down." "Why," said Belle-Ann laughingly, "you-all talk as though he were a big tiger instead of a big, beautiful horse--I love him." "Ponce is the meanest horse I have ever owned," interjected the Colonel. "I would not dare go in to him. If it were not for for his strain, I would have gotten rid of him long ago--he killed a hostler last summer. The men have to feed him through a trap door--the men could not be induced to go in to him as you did, Miss Benson. They have to rope him from both sides to lead him. He not only kicks, but he fights with his fore feet and bites like a dog. You have had a narrow escape, I assure you, dear Miss Benson. How happy I am that you were not hurt." "Why, Colonel Tennytown," interrupted the girl, "he was only playing with me--why I can go in thah now and make him walk around on his hind legs." "Tut-tut! No you can't, my dear," interposed the Colonel monitively, "not while we are here to watch you, I assure you." "Oh, I would love to ride him--may I ride him some time, Colonel?" she persisted laughingly. "It pains me deeply to refuse you any request--I have any number of others you may ride, but never Ponce," he declared emphatically. After dinner it developed that there was plainly a conspiracy afoot to have Belle-Ann sing. Without the slightest demur or embarrassment the girl took her stand beside the piano while Miss Worth played the accompaniment. She sang an excerpt from Il Trovatore which Miss Worth had taught her with infinite care. The voice held the listeners spellbound. When her last lingering notes had swelled and died away, the Colonel's sister hurried to her with profuse praises that were plainly sincere and kissed her cheek. The Colonel strode to her side and pressed her hand, and Miss Worth beamed upon her. As dusk approached, the visitors climbed into the big limousine en route to the train, and rolled through the richest plateau in the world, flooded with the erubescent splendor of a setting sun. At the station Colonel Tennytown carried the handbags into the Pullman, and here he lingered until he heard the hiss of the reservoir that released the car brakes. With his farewell, he lifted Belle-Ann's white soft hand, and slipped a ring on her finger. Concealing it under his own hand, he said: "It is there with a wish which I hope will come true," and he hurried out and away. As the train pulled out, the lights were turned on in the car, and Belle-Ann was holding one hand up before two pairs of admiring eyes. It was a marquis ring with an oval turquoise in the center, hemmed with eight rubies and bordered with ten beautifully cut diamonds. And as Belle-Ann gazed at this lovely present, her violet eyes emulated the sparkling lustre of the ring.