Lulu was allowed to ride her pony within the grounds whenever she pleased, but strictly forbidden to go outside alone; yet as she could almost always have the company of her father, Violet or Max, and not seldom of all three, there was little or no excuse for a desire to disobey.
But though Lulu had certainly greatly improved, there were still times when she was seized with the old willfulness and disinclination to submit to lawful authority; when to have her own way, and be altogether a law unto herself, seemed a delightful thing, and for a time overcame the wish to please the father whom she did really love very dearly.
This happened one day a month or more after the gift of the ponies. Morning lessons were over; Max went to the workroom, having a piece of carving he wished to finish, and Gracie, for once, preferred playing with her dolls to riding her pony, so Lulu set out alone with hers, not with any intention of going beyond the boundaries of the estate.
She rode round the drive, up and down the garden paths, and through the bit of woods several times, then turned longing eyes upon the road beyond, which, for some distance, was shaded by overhanging trees, and did indeed look most inviting.
A side gate stood open, a wagon, carrying some supplies from the house, having just passed through, and she had reined in her pony close beside it.
“Why in the world shouldn’t I go out there?” she said, half aloud; “it couldn’t hurt anybody or any thing for me to ride just a little way down that shady road. Papa’s reason for forbidding me to walk alone in such places, was that I might be in danger from tramps; but I’m sure Fairy could outrun any of them; and so I shouldn’t be in any danger on her back.”
Conscience whispered that whether she would be in danger or not, the act would be one of disobedience; but she refused to listen.
The reins were lying loosely on Fairy’s neck, and just at that instant she started toward the gate of her own accord.
Lulu could have easily restrained her and turned her head another way, but did not choose to make the effort.
“It’s Fairy’s doing, and I’m not to blame,” she said to herself; “and I’ll only let her go a little way, I’ll make her turn round in a minute.”