much worse than this I shall say nothing about it, for we are very well
treated here; but if they strain me up tight, why, let 'em look out! I
can't bear it, and I won't."

Day by day, hole by hole, our bearing reins were shortened, and instead
of looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on, as I used
to do, I began to dread it. Ginger, too, seemed restless, though she
said very little. At last I thought the worst was over; for several days
there was no more shortening, and I determined to make the best of
it and do my duty, though it was now a constant harass instead of a
pleasure; but the worst was not come.




23 A Strike for Liberty


One day my lady came down later than usual, and the silk rustled more
than ever.

"Drive to the Duchess of B----'s," she said, and then after a pause,
"Are you never going to get those horses' heads up, York? Raise them at
once and let us have no more of this humoring and nonsense."

York came to me first, while the groom stood at Ginger's head. He drew
my head back and fixed the rein so tight that it was almost intolerable;
then he went to Ginger, who was impatiently jerking her head up and down
against the bit, as was her way now. She had a good idea of what was
coming, and the moment York took the rein off the terret in order to