"You surprise me, Cousin Sudie. Pray tell me what you know, and how."
"Well, promise me first that you won't get yourself into any trouble about it—no, I have no right to exact a blind promise—but do don't get into trouble. That detestable man, Foggy Raves, made Mr. Winger uneasy about the money. He told him you were 'hard up' and couldn't pay if you wanted to; and I'm glad you have paid him, and I'm glad you beat Charley Harrison in the fox-chase, too."
With this utterly inconsequent conclusion, Cousin Sudie commenced rocking violently in her chair.
"How do you know all this, Cousin Sudie?" asked Robert.
"Ewing told me this evening. I'd rather you'd have killed a dozen horses than to have had Charley Harrison beat you."
"Why, Cousin Sudie?"
"O he's at the bottom of all this. He always is. Foggy is his mouth-piece. And then he told Aunt Catherine, the day you went to The Oaks, that he 'meant to have some fun when he got you into a fox-hunt on Winger's colt.' He said you'd find out how much your handsome city riding-school style was worth when you got on a horse you were afraid of. I'm so glad you beat him!"
