Henry C. Rowland

“ A high English dog-cart drawn by a roadwise hunter was bowling along a winding drive through the woods. A hunter is the most sagacious of horses, and this horse was the wisest of hunters, as was evidenced by the painstaking way in which he kept his eyes on the road ahead and carefully avoided rocks and holes.
As if to demonstrate what he could do when he really cared to try, the hunter shied violently, throwing Honoria almost into the doctor's arms.
"Intelligent animal!" commented the doctor. "He always shies here. ”

“ Looking at the injured man, he thought that he caught once more that almost imperceptible flutter of the eyelid. A large experience of mankind for one so young suggested something to his mind: he turned boldly to the wife and mother.
"Madam, since you have so considerately permitted my profane system of treatment to prevail in the present case, I will carry it out further, to the extent of prescribing for the patient a dose of the orthodox stimulant before he is moved." He turned to the girl. ”

“ I'm afraid of upsetting, and breaking my collar-bone and arm and spraining my ankle. I've got an idea of what might happen—what! Oh, I say—oh, I am a brute!"
The little head with its mass of red-gold hair was as far from him as the narrow seat would permit. The rounded shoulders were rising and falling convulsively, and the grey eyes were buried in a tiny handkerchief.
"Oh, I say—Miss Hampton!—oh, by George——" The doctor groaned in anguish and felt that he would like to throw the loop of the reins about his neck and be dragged in the dust behind the cart. ”

“ With ostentatious care the coachman wrapped the reins about the whip and reluctantly descended.
"Remove this person!" ordered his mistress, indicating the doctor with a contemptuous nod.
The coachman approached with some misgiving. A look of positive relief spread over the doctor's face, but there was a set look about his jaw and a gleam in his blue eyes that did not escape the observant Johnson.
"You wouldn't 'ave me lay 'ands on a gentleman, ma'am!" he protested weakly. ”

“ The doctor made a dissenting gesture.
"It would not be safe," he declared. "Johnson would be too crowded to have perfect control of his horses. If you will permit me," turning to the girl, "it will give me great pleasure to drive you home in my cart." He turned to the coachman. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1933, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 90 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”