Onenight,afewdaysafterJameshadleft,Ihadeatenmyhayandwaslyingdowninmystrawfastasleep,whenIwassuddenlyrousedbythestablebellringingveryloud. IheardthedoorofJohn'shouseopen,andhisfeetrunninguptothehall. Hewasbackagaininnotime;heunlockedthestabledoor,andcamein,callingout,"Wakeup,Beauty! Youmustgowellnow,ifeveryoudid;"andalmostbeforeIcouldthinkhehadgotthesaddleonmybackandthebridleonmyhead. Hejustranroundforhiscoat,andthentookmeataquicktrotuptothehalldoor. Thesquirestoodthere,withalampinhishand. "Now,John,"hesaid,"rideforyourlife—thatis,foryourmistress'life;thereisnotamomenttolose. GivethisnotetoDr.White;giveyourhorsearestattheinn,andbebackassoonasyoucan." Johnsaid,"Yes,sir,"andwasonmybackinaminute. Thegardenerwholivedatthelodgehadheardthebellring,andwasreadywiththegateopen,andawaywewentthroughthepark,andthroughthevillage,anddownthehilltillwecametothetoll-gate. Johncalledveryloudandthumpeduponthedoor;themanwassoonoutandflungopenthegate. "Now,"saidJohn,"doyoukeepthegateopenforthedoctor;here'sthemoney,"andoffhewentagain. Therewasbeforeusalongpieceoflevelroadbytheriverside;Johnsaidtome,"Now,Beauty,doyourbest,"andsoIdid;Iwantednowhipnorspur,andfortwomilesIgallopedasfastasIcouldlaymyfeettotheground;Idon'tbelievethatmyoldgrandfather,whowontheraceatNewmarket,couldhavegonefaster. WhenwecametothebridgeJohnpulledmeupalittleandpattedmyneck."Welldone,Beauty!goodoldfellow,"hesaid. Hewouldhaveletmegoslower,butmyspiritwasup,andIwasoffagainasfastasbefore. Theairwasfrosty,themoonwasbright;itwasverypleasant. Wecamethroughavillage,thenthroughadarkwood,thenuphill,thendownhill,tillaftereightmiles'runwecametothetown,throughthestreetsandintothemarket-place. Itwasallquitestillexcepttheclatterofmyfeetonthestones—everybodywasasleep. ThechurchclockstruckthreeaswedrewupatDr.White'sdoor. Johnrangthebelltwice,andthenknockedatthedoorlikethunder. Awindowwasthrownup,andDr.White,inhisnightcap,puthisheadoutandsaid,"Whatdoyouwant?" "Mrs.Gordonisveryill,sir;masterwantsyoutogoatonce;hethinksshewilldieifyoucannotgetthere.Hereisanote." "Wait,"hesaid,"Iwillcome." Heshutthewindow,andwassoonatthedoor. "Theworstofitis,"hesaid,"thatmyhorsehasbeenoutalldayandisquitedoneup;mysonhasjustbeensentfor,andhehastakentheother.Whatistobedone?CanIhaveyourhorse?" "Hehascomeatagallopnearlyalltheway,sir,andIwastogivehimaresthere;butIthinkmymasterwouldnotbeagainstit,ifyouthinkfit,sir." "Allright,"hesaid;"Iwillsoonbeready." Johnstoodbymeandstrokedmyneck;Iwasveryhot.Thedoctorcameoutwithhisriding-whip. "Youneednottakethat,sir,"saidJohn;"BlackBeautywillgotillhedrops.Takecareofhim,sir,ifyoucan;Ishouldnotlikeanyharmtocometohim." "No,no,John,"saidthedoctor,"Ihopenot,"andinaminutewehadleftJohnfarbehind. Iwillnottellaboutourwayback.ThedoctorwasaheaviermanthanJohn,andnotsogoodarider;however,Ididmyverybest.Themanatthetoll-gatehaditopen. Whenwecametothehillthedoctordrewmeup. "Now,mygoodfellow,"hesaid,"takesomebreath." Iwasgladhedid,forIwasnearlyspent,butthatbreathinghelpedmeon,andsoonwewereinthepark. Joewasatthelodgegate;mymasterwasatthehalldoor,forhehadhearduscoming. Hespokenotaword;thedoctorwentintothehousewithhim,andJoeledmetothestable. Iwasgladtogethome;mylegsshookunderme,andIcouldonlystandandpant. Ihadnotadryhaironmybody,thewaterrandownmylegs,andIsteamedallover,Joeusedtosay,likeapotonthefire.PoorJoe! hewasyoungandsmall,andasyetheknewverylittle,andhisfather,whowouldhavehelpedhim,hadbeensenttothenextvillage;butIamsurehedidtheverybestheknew. Herubbedmylegsandmychest,buthedidnotputmywarmclothonme;hethoughtIwassohotIshouldnotlikeit. Thenhegavemeapailfulofwatertodrink;itwascoldandverygood,andIdrankitall;thenhegavemesomehayandsomecorn,andthinkinghehaddoneright,hewentaway. SoonIbegantoshakeandtremble,andturneddeadlycold;mylegsached,myloinsached,andmychestached,andIfeltsoreallover.Oh! howIwishedformywarm,thickcloth,asIstoodandtrembled. IwishedforJohn,buthehadeightmilestowalk,soIlaydowninmystrawandtriedtogotosleep. AfteralongwhileIheardJohnatthedoor;Igavealowmoan,forIwasingreatpain. Hewasatmysideinamoment,stoopingdownbyme. IcouldnottellhimhowIfelt,butheseemedtoknowitall;hecoveredmeupwithtwoorthreewarmcloths,andthenrantothehouseforsomehotwater;hemademesomewarmgruel,whichIdrank,andthenIthinkIwenttosleep. Johnseemedtobeverymuchputout.Iheardhimsaytohimselfoverandoveragain,"Stupidboy!stupidboy! noclothputon,andIdaresaythewaterwascold,too;boysarenogood;"butJoewasagoodboy,afterall. Iwasnowveryill;astronginflammationhadattackedmylungs,andIcouldnotdrawmybreathwithoutpain. Johnnursedmenightandday;hewouldgetuptwoorthreetimesinthenighttocometome.Mymaster,too,oftencametoseeme. "MypoorBeauty,"hesaidoneday,"mygoodhorse,yousavedyourmistress'life,Beauty;yes,yousavedherlife." Iwasverygladtohearthat,foritseemsthedoctorhadsaidifwehadbeenalittlelongeritwouldhavebeentoolate. Johntoldmymasterheneversawahorsegosofastinhislife. Itseemedasifthehorseknewwhatwasthematter. OfcourseIdid,thoughJohnthoughtnot;atleastIknewasmuchasthis—thatJohnandImustgoatthetopofourspeed,andthatitwasforthesakeofthemistress. 
