“I told you!”

“I mean—Elizabeth, I can’t understand. You have ridden?”

All the color left the girl’s face, her eyes grew wide with some remembered horror. “Yes, I’ve ridden,” she said; “and I’ve seen—others ride.” Suddenly she sat down, her hands over her face; but she was not crying, as Alec at first supposed, only drawing deep shuddering breaths.

“Elizabeth,” he begged, “what is the matter?”

She looked up. “Nothing. You—you’ll tell the General—what I asked you?”

“Yes.”

“I reckon you think I’m a coward. Maybe, you won’t want to be friends any more?”

“Nonsense!”

“And—you won’t tell anyone?”

“You know I won’t.”