"Thank you, sir; a military escort is always welcome, especially to a lady, in these troublous times, but I really do not live very far—only ten miles."
"Ten miles!" exclaimed Hardinge.
The lady broke out into a merry laugh, and said:
"You wonder. This little beast is like the wind. You are well mounted, but I doubt you can follow me. Will you try?"
So saying, she snapped her white fingers, and the little Canadian pony, making a leap into the air, was away like an arrow. Hardinge dashed off in pursuit, and for a time held his own bravely, the horses keeping neck to neck, but presently he fell behind and the lady disappeared out of sight. When at length he came up with her, she was waiting at the gate of her father's house, a mansion of fine colonial dimensions, standing in a bower of maples. She was laughing heartily and enjoying her triumph. Hardinge, touching his cap gracefully, acknowledged his defeat.
"This will be a lesson for you, sir," she said.
"A lesson, mademoiselle?"
"It will teach you to chase rebels again."
"Beautiful rebel," murmured Roderick, bowing profoundly and wholly unable to conceal his admiration.
"You don't choose to understand me," she said, half seriously and half jestingly, "but later, perhaps, you will do so. I believe I am speaking to Lieutenant Hardinge?"