Why was she afraid of Ben up there in the
saddle while not in the least afraid when standing beside him? Fear
was very strange. Did everybody harbour some secret, absurd,
unreasonable fear? No, Tess didn't; Tess wasn't afraid of anything.
Tess was cantering along on rawboned Nellie in beautiful unconcern.
Missy admired and envied her dreadfully.
Her sense of her own shortcomings became all the more poignant when
the little cavalcade, with Missy still ignominiously footing it in
the rear, had to pass the group of loafers in front of the Post
Office. The loafers called out rude, bantering comments, and Missy
burned with shame.
Then Arthur Simpson appeared in Pieker's doorway next door and
grinned.
"Hello! Some steed!" he greeted Tess. "Dare you to ride her in!"
"Not to-day, thanks," retorted Tess insouciantly--that was another
quality Missy envied in her friend, her unfailing insouciance. "Wait
till I get my new pony next week, and then I'll take you up!"
"All right. The dare holds good." Then Arthur turned his grin to
Missy. "What's the matter with YOU? Charger get out of hand?"
The loafers in front of the Post Office took time from their chewing
and spitting to guffaw.
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