"I feel the expense is rather imprudent in this first year of our settling.

But she really needs the exercise--she needs cheering.

And if you were to see her on horseback, it is something splendid." "It is what we could not afford for Anna," said Mrs.Gascoigne.

"But she, dear child, would ride Lotta's donkey and think it good enough." (Anna was absorbed in a game with Isabel, who had hunted out an old back-gammon-board, and had begged to sit up an extra hour.) "Certainly, a fine woman never looks better than on horseback," said Mr.Gascoigne.

"And Gwendolen has the figure for it.