As this was the first horse Mr. Gussing had ever driven, this assertion was true in every particular.
“Oh, I can't travel so slow!” cried one of the young ladies, and seized the whip, and before Felix could stop her, used it on the steed.
The effect was magical. The horse started up like a racer, and tore through the street as if trying to win a race for a thousand dollars.
The dude clung to the reins in the wildest terror. To his frenzied imagination it seemed that his final hour was approaching.
“Whoa!” he screamed, jerking on the lines. “Stop, you crazy beast! Stop, before we all get killed!”
But the horse only went the faster. And now, to increase his alarm, he saw a buggy approaching from the opposite direction. It contained one of the town lawyers, Silas Simms by name.
“We shall run into that buggy!” screamed the fair Belle. “Oh, Mr. Gussing, be careful!”
A moment later the two turnouts came together with a crash, and one wheel was torn from the buggy and the town lawyer pitched out headlong to the ground. Then on went the carriage with the dude and the two young ladies, at a faster pace than ever.
“Let me jump out!” screamed one of the ladies.
“No, not yet! You'll be killed, Grace,” answered Belle.