He had, however, to reckon against odds which he had not anticipated, and they were the innocent schemes of Lucina herself.

She had hoped at first that his call was only deferred, that he would come to see her of his own accord, but she soon decided that he would not, and that all the advances must be from herself, since she was undoubtedly at fault.

She had fully resolved to make amends for any rudeness and lack of cordiality of which she might have been guilty, at the first opportunity she should have.

She planned to speak to him going home from meeting, or on some week day on the village street--she had her little speech all ready, but the chance to deliver it did not come.
But when she went to meeting Sunday after Sunday, dressed in her prettiest, looking like something between a rose and an angel, and no Jerome was there for her soft backward glances, and when she never met him when she was alone on the village street, she grew impatient.
About this time Lucina's father bought her a beautiful little white horse, like the milk-white palfrey of a princess in a fairy tale, and she rode every day over the county.

Usually Squire Eben accompanied her on a tall sorrel which had been in his possession for years, but still retained much youthful fire.