CHAPTER XXXI
Love in The Saddle
"Here come Apollo and Psyche," said Mrs. Waller, as she glimpsed them from the window. The Colonel was just leaving for his office and called to them, "Good morning! Go on in; Mrs. Waller is at home. I'll be back in half an hour."
Already there was a fire in the house, for the nights were chilly, and when the Colonel returned, they were sitting around it in the parlour.
"I want to see the stable," said Belle, so forth they went together, Hartigan with Mrs. Waller leading, and Belle with the Colonel. She lingered till the others were out of easy hearing, then led up to the subject of the horse race.
"It's a pretty sore subject yet," answered the Colonel. "Most of my men are pinching their families on half pay to work off their debts to those wily redskins."
"Do they have to pay?" said Belle.
"Well, these are debts of honour, you know, and in the man's code, that puts them ahead of rent, clothing, food, or mortgages."
"I suppose the men have got a lesson that will cure them of gambling for evermore?"
"Oh, no. Not at all. All they are thinking about now is where to get a horse that can turn the tables."