It was only after serious consideration that Miss Prue had bought the little horse, Jupiter, and then she changed the name at once. For a respectable spinster to drive any sort ofhorse was bad enough in Miss Prue's opinion; but to drive a heathen one! To replace"Jupiter" she considered "Ann" a sensible, dignified, and proper name, and "Ann" shenamed him, regardless of age, sex, or "previous condition of servitude." The villagersaccepted the change--though with modifications; the horse was known thereafter as "MissPrue's Jupiter Ann."Miss Prue had said that she wanted a safe, steady horse; one that would not run, balk, orkick. She would not have bought any horse, indeed, had it not been that the way to the postoffice, the store, the church, and everywhere else, had grown so unaccountably long--MissPrue was approaching her sixtieth birthday. The horse had been hers now a month, andthus far it had been everything that a dignified, somewhat timid spinster could wish it tobe. Fortunately--or unfortunately, as one may choose to look at it--Miss Prue did not knowthat in the dim recesses of Jupiter's memory there lurked the smell of the turf, the feel ofthe jockey's coaxing touch, and the sound of a triumphant multitude shouting his name; inMiss Prue's estimation the next deadly sin to treason and murder was horse racing.There was no one in the town, perhaps, who did not know of Miss Prue's abhorrence ofhorse racing. On all occasions she freed her mind concerning it; and there was a report thatthe only lover of her youth had lost his suit through his passion for driving fast horses.Even the county fair Miss Prue had refused all her life to attend--there was the horse racing.It was because of all this that she had been so loath to buy a horse, if only the way toeverywhere had not grown so long!For four weeks--indeed, for five--the new horse, Ann, was a treasure; then, one day, Jupiterremembered.Miss Prue was driving home from the post office. The wide, smooth road led straight aheadunder an arch of flaming gold and scarlet. The October air was crisp and bracing, andunconsciously Miss Prue lifted her chin and drew a long breath. Almost at once, however, she frowned. From behind her had come the sound of a horse's hoofs, and reluctantly MissPrue pulled the right-hand rein.Jupiter Ann quickened his gait perceptibly, and lifted his head. His ears came erect."Whoa, Ann, whoa!" stammered Miss Prue nervously.