"I have a good notion to claim
'cash on delivery,'" helping her into the sleigh.
"I fancy you would not find it easy to enforce your claim, sir."
"Don't be too sure of that, my Dexie. I have had too hard an afternoon's
work to do it for nothing, and 'kiss number two' would settle the account."
There was no chance for further conversation, for Lancy needed to give his
attention to the spirited animal before him. It was generally a "wild
drive" when Bob wore the harness, unless he were kept well in check, and to
those who hastily took the side of the road as the sleigh flew by, it did
indeed look like a "wild drive," for the pace never slacked until the house
was reached.
There were many anxious eyes on the lookout for their arrival, as Dexie
noted with shame, but she determined to face the matter boldly, and if
possible make some amends for the trouble and anxiety she had caused.
The front door of both houses opened simultaneously as the sleigh drove up,
Mr. Sherwood appearing at one and Cora at the other, and a hundred
questions could not have asked more than the one word which fell from the
lips of both--
"Well?"
Dexie sprang out on the sidewalk, and with a wave of her hand in Lancy's
direction, answered the question in dramatic tones:
"See! the conquering hero comes!"
That was enough; they all understood her, and Elsie, who was standing on
the doorstep, flew into the house where the busy needles were flying,
shouting as she ran:
"Yes! she is going! Lancy has managed her! She is all right again!"
"There, save that little comedy till by and by, and come in here," said Mr.
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