she is!" and from the very ardent look that leapt into his face, and
the alacrity with which he sprang up, it might have been doubted
whether his mind had been wholly upon the matter under discussion.

Miss Lady greeted him with almost boyish frankness, but there was an
unmistakable flush under the smooth tan of her cheek that did not
escape the vigilant eye of the Colonel.

"Here you are, Dad! here you are, Noah!" she said, tossing a small
package to each; "sandwiches and hard boiled eggs for two."

"Put the salt in for the eggs?" asked the Colonel, having had
experience with her lunches.

"I believe I did. Open yours and see, Noah. Say, Daddy darling!" she
swooped down upon him from the rear, slipping an arm about his neck as
he knelt on the porch to collect his hooks and lines, "you are going
to let me ride Prince, just this once, aren't you?"

[Illustration: The Colonel leaned back upon his knees and glared at
Morley.]

The Colonel gasped, partly from strangulation, and partly from
amazement.

"Prince!" he cried. "Well, I reckon not! That colt's hardly broken to
the saddle. He threw Jimpson last week."

"Well, I'm not Jimpson. Please, Daddy, just this once."