Page:Rowland--In the shadow.djvu/70

  of the ability of the active brain beneath the heavy African skull to more than hold its own with those about him; it was believed that it could emanate ideas worthy of an Anglo-Saxon mind. Virginia reflected that whatever the past history of the race of which he was an exponent, there surely must have been some long-forgotten epoch of enlightenment to have transmitted this intellect through the dark eras which had followed.

"It is a shame to oblige you to stable your own horse, Count Dessalines," said Lady Maltby as they met.

Dessalines bowed. "The fault is mine, Lady Maltby. If one will ride a dragon one must expect to be his own hostler. It is far less trouble to stable the animal than to provide for a widow and a family!"

"Fancy you don't find many mounts up to your weight, old chap," said Giles.

"That is true; Liberté, my stallion, is hackney and Percheron; I found him in Normandy, where he was monarch of all he surveyed; no one dared approach him, but " a flash crossed the sable face, "we soon came to an understanding, and since then there has been no difficulty."

"He is a magnificent creature," said Lady Maltby, leading the way to the pagoda, which was on a little knoll in a grove of lustrous birches at the edge of the broad lawn. From this eminence one saw the stately house rising sheer from the close-cropped sward flanked with flower beds, ivygrown [sic] on the eastern wing; behind it the park; to the west the sunken gardens running down to the brimming edge of the lake, silver and azure, flecked with swans.

"It is entrancing!" cried Dessalines turning to 60