before a lady. The lady was his father's mistress, Mrs. Coleman,
and the little girl was she for whose sake he had got off North
Wind's back. He drew Diamond's bridle in eager anxiety to see whether
her outstretched hand would gather a penny from Mrs. Coleman.
But she had given one at the last crossing, and the hand returned
only to grasp its broom. Diamond could not bear it. He had a penny
in his pocket, a gift of the same lady the day before, and he tumbled
off his horse to give it to the girl. He tumbled off, I say, for he
did tumble when he reached the ground. But he got up in an instant,
and ran, searching his pocket as he ran. She made him a pretty
courtesy when he offered his treasure, but with a bewildered stare.
She thought first: "Then he was on the back of the North Wind
after all!" but, looking up at the sound of the horse's feet
on the paved crossing, she changed her idea, saying to herself,
"North Wind is his father's horse! That's the secret of it!
Why couldn't he say so?" And she had a mind to refuse the penny.
But his smile put it all right, and she not only took his penny
but put it in her mouth with a "Thank you, mister. Did they wollop
you then?"

"Oh no!" answered Diamond. "They never wollops me."

"Lor!" said the little girl, and was speechless.

Meantime his father, looking up, and seeing the horse's back bare,
suffered a pang of awful dread, but the next moment catching sight
of him, took him up and put him on, saying--

"Don't get off again, Diamond. The horse might have put his foot
on you."