"Pray, don't be so, Mr. Broadbent. I don't want to think myself a child, and I should not like you to think me one. Mind, I've been in the Bush all my life."
But there was more and greater occasion to be frightened for Etheldene ere the day was done. In fact, she ran so madly into danger, that the wonder is she escaped. She had a gallant, soft-mouthed horse—that was one thing to her advantage—and the girl had a gentle hand.
But Archie drew rein himself, and held his breath with fear, to see a maddened animal, that she was pressing hard, turn wildly round and charge back on horse and rider with all the fury imaginable. A turn of the wrist of the bridle hand, one slight jerk of the fingers, and Etheldene's horse had turned on a pivot, we might almost say, and the danger was over.
So on the whole, instead of Archie having had a very grand opportunity for showing off his powers before this young Diana, it was rather the other way.
The hunt ended satisfactory to both parties; and while Sarah was getting an extra good dinner ready, Archie proposed a canter "to give them an appetite."
"Have you got an appetite, Mr. Broadbent? I have."
It was evident Etheldene was not too fine a lady to deny the possession of good health.
"Yes," said Archie; "to tell you the plain truth, I'm as hungry as a hunter. But it'll do the nags good to stretch their legs after so much wheeling and swivelling."
So away they rode again, side by side, taking the blazed path towards the plains.
"You are sure you can find your way back, I suppose?" said Etheldene.