carriage will be full, and I cannot endure to be crowded."

"It has carried six many a time," said Durward, "and if she will go,
I will take you on my lap, or anywhere."

Of course 'Lena declined--he knew she would--and determined not to be
outwitted by his mother, whose aim he saw, he continued, "I shan't
release you from your engagement to ride with me. We will start
early and get back before mother is up, so our excursion will in no
way interfere with my driving her to Woodlawn after breakfast."

Mrs. Graham was too polite to raise any further objection, but
resolving not to leave them to finish their _tete-a-tete_, she threw
herself upon one of the seats, and commenced talking to her son,
while Carrie, burning with jealousy and vexation, started for the
house, where she laid her grievances before her mother, who, equally
enraged, declared her intention of "hereafter watching the vixen
pretty closely."

"And she's going to ride with him to-morrow morning, you say. Well,
I fancy I can prevent that."

"How?" asked Carrie, eagerly, and her mother replied, "You know she
always rides Fleetfoot, which now, with the other horses, is in the
Grattan woods, two miles away. Of course she'll order Caesar to
bring him up to the stable, but I shall countermand that order,
bidding him say nothing to her about it. He dare not disobey me, and
when in the morning she asks for the pony, he can tell her just how
it is."