The Republican journal., 1873-03-06
Lucifer wheeled and tried to bite hel

"Just a little grazed, Mr.. Fairleigh, .
and to his astonishment she returned to
the horse, and laughingly parried his at
tempts to bite her by raps on the nose.
81 shall ride this horse to the house, y
said she, quietly.
Impossible, Miss Walsingham, he'd
break your neck"
"No he won't. | can manage him.
Say yes, Mr.. Fairleigh," and Nina laid a
| little gauntleted hand on his arm in a
| coaxing way
''No, indeed Miss, don't want your
neck broken" answered Chandos, Grossly
Nina's rosebud lips came tightly to-
gether, as she said, firmly:
81 ride that horse, or no other, up to
Mountain Lodge. Do you understand,
Mr.. Farleigh. | know as much about
horses as you do, and shall and will ride
Lucifcr"
Chandos twitched his moustache ner-
vously and surveyed this audacious girl
| who dared to defy him. A tall beautifully
moulded figure queenly little head with
coling masses of sun-brown hair, eyes of
| velvety brown, cheeks like peach blooms,
| and lips redder than ripe currants-this
was Nina WalsinghaLl, as she stood de-
family before him, giving him glance for
glance.
"Hang it" he muttered. ''Say, Clary,"
he added, turning to Lorimer, who stood
amused spectator, "shall let the girl an
break her neck | have good mind
to-"
Don't let her ride Lucifer, Chandos
Fairlelgh," said Lorimer going towards
his horse
"Deuce take it Clary, look at that girl !"
he calculated
Both sprang forward, but it was too
late. Luciter's saddle lay on the platform
and Miss Nina, swift as bird, flew upon
his back, and turning his head, called out
gaily:
"All's fair in war"
"My God that Lucfer will kill her"
said Chandos, AS he mounted Lormer's
horse, leaving him to change the saddles,
and follow on the gentle little mare that
Chandos had chosen to bear Miss Walls
ingham over the rocky paths to his home
Lucifer started off at mad pace towards
home, and vainly tried to throw Miss Nina
off, but she kept her seat on his bare-b back
like centaur On and on they galloped,
Chandos keeping as near her as his less
spirited horse would allow. Clarv brought
up the rear
Once on that rocky precipitous way,
Lucifer stood upright on the brink of a
precipice and vainly assayed to throw her
Off A few cuts Of the singing lash and
he dropped, and after that he went on
quite amiably, except a few curvetings
and mad bursts. When they drew up
before the house, the guests that We're
staying there for the wedding came down
to meet them. Nina sprang down from
Luciter, and throwing her arms around
Ethel, nearly smothered her with kisses.
Ethel, a handsome brunette, with dark
eyes, introduced all the guests to her
school chum.
The gentlemen were full of admiration
of the bold girl who had ridden 'that
wild Lucifer" bareback from the station.
Chandos Faireigh came to her, his eyes
very stormy, and said:
81 hope you enjoyed your ride, Miss
Walsingham
Every much, thank you." was the cool
reply, and she went into the house
In the evening she came down resplen-
dent in trailing black lace robe, looped
here and there with pomegranite blossoms,
and on the corsage and in her beautiful
hair, and the rubies glowed on her neck
and arms. She presented the picture OF
a high bred, educated young lady, instead
of one given to slang expressions
Nina Walsingham was AN orphan, and
the adopted child of an eccentric man,
who brought her up rs his companion in
all his amusements and Nina, in addition
to her boarding school accomplishments
was well versed in all the manly sports.
She could row, swim, ride, shoot, tence.
play billiards. cricket, and, in short,
everything that her uncle could teach her.
I've do doubt that she could don pair of
boxing gloves, and lay about her well.
A beautiful little garden on sunny
slope of the bleak mountains-in this gar
den was high hedge of hawthorn. On
one side Ethel Farleigh, in becoming
white morning dress, was walking with
Clarence and Chandos On the other side
was Miss Walsingham, in a trailing blue
rapper and dainty slippers. She had Just
come out to have breath of the mountain
air, and was wholly unconscious of the
other party until she heard her name
mentioned.
"How do | like Miss Walsingham,
Ethel ?" repeated Chandos after his sister,
"What | have seen OF her, not at all re-
fined or lady like"
Nina, on the other side of the hawthorn
clenched her little hands
"Why, Chandos, | am astonished," ex-
claimed Ethel, in a shocked tone. 'Nina
is perfectly lovely and can do anything
She can write some sweet little poems"
eyes, no doubt" interrupted Chandos
"Anything but what BELTS young lady.
don't like these girls of the period, who
o1o
Poems that show she's strong minded
and of all things | detest a strong-minded
| woman"
"She can ride, though" said Lorimer,
and Ethel gave him grateful look, and
chimed in with, "Speaks three languages
fluently, dances like a sylph, and sings
like an angel"
"Spare us the rest, Ethel" said Chan
dos, giving a low whistle "Miss Wal
singham, 10 doubt is everything to be de-
sired; but as for having her and her per-
fections thrown at my head, | won't stand
it. Ride Clarence, l should say she
could preserve her equilibrium going at a
| break-neck pace. My stars, but she made
my blood run cold, when Lucifer balanced
himself on that ledge of rock"
"Nlna's bringing up is to blame, not
her heart. She has no mother, Chandos,
| to tell her what is right, and her uncle is
an old bear" said Ethel, sadly 81 did
| want you to like her 80 much, brother,
for my sake"
"It's too bad-egad, she's beauty. but
her slang, can't get over that, and the
way she defied me. Bah! she's not at all
feminine, but I'll try to tolerate her,
Ethel" and the naughty speaker walked
off complacently, leaving the lovers to
themselves.
Meanwhile Nina ran up to her room,
and burst into tears.
"Horrid man." said she, Indignantly
81 hate him, and l was prepared to fall in
! love with him, and | cared more for his
good opinion than any others. TRY to
tolerate me- will he? I'd like to see
him. Not lady-hke,' Ell! Mr.. Chandos !?
'Defied him? l will again. How l do
hate him! l wish l was dead and buried.
No, don't, either; this world is jolly
place. 'Strong-minded.' am +? and a
| girl of the period? Of course am, Mr..
Fairleigh. Thrown at your head you
horrid creature, with your cynical blase