Knight came forward hesitatingly.
"Really," he said, "I think you are very unwise, Blue Bonnet. The mare is excited yet; she might—"
"You don't understand, Knight. There is a reason why I must ride Chula—now, this very minute. I am not at all nervous—see?"
She held out a cool, steady hand and Knight took it for an instant in his own.
"You're game, all right," he answered. "Here goes, then."
He lifted her into the saddle and she took up the reins firmly. For the second time she had conquered an abiding fear.
The remainder of the ride was a sad failure. Blue Bonnet felt it as she tried to entertain Knight, who kept close to her side. Alec rode with Kitty; but his eyes scarcely left Chula, who was behaving quite decently now that her frolic was over.
Kitty tried to interest Alec with stories of her Boston trip; the dinner for the Lambs; the gay theatre party; but all she got for her effort was a mere occasional, "You don't say," or "That was fine, now, wasn't it?"
Finally, in exasperation, Kitty rebelled.
"Forget it, Alec," she said. "That was only one of Blue Bonnet's flashes. She adores Chula, and she knew she was only playing. You did give the horse a bad cut, though. She needed it, nevertheless. I don't see how Blue Bonnet ever escaped breaking her neck, falling like that!"