The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-01-28

W.. IJ.
Puck went along over the billow.
ing downs in a grand charging can.
ter for about couple Of hundred
yards. Then Ida Pomfret's mare
flashed past us, the rider sitting erect
and fair, her horse evidently we'll
in hand, though it was going at rae
ing speed. As she bounded ahead
Puck did something extraordinary
with all his legs at once, (Guy told
me afterwards that he "bucked,")
thew up his head, then lowered it
suddenly with a jerk, and then went
off in the wake of the mare at a pace
that stretched him out fiat nearly,
and made my brain whirl.
l do not think that I was terrified,
though 1 was we'll aware that I had
no more control over Puck than l had
over destiny. I was dimly conscious
OF Ida branching off to the right,
while was borne straight on towards
what looked like a wall Of blue sky.
Another moment and I knew that /
was nearing the brow of a steep
hill. Another and other hoofs than
Puck's sounded in my ears close be-
hind me-then something rose with a
crashing noise, and crushed against
me-a sharp pain smote through my
chest-a roar sounded in my ears
horses seemed to be about and around
me on every side, and it was all dark.
ness.
When it came light again-that is,
when opened my eyes-I found my
self lying on green mound halfway
down the slope of a steep hill, with
my head resting on Guy Pomfret's
arm, and Puck standing close by
looking brightly unconscious of hay
ing done anything wrong. "What
did I do?' asked, and Guy replied
"Came an awful cropper with Puck
in galloping down slope; but you re
not hurt-tell me?-you're not
hurt p
l reused myself then, and found
that my foot was in pain and turned
the wrong way,-my ankle was
sprained, in fact. But how about
Puck? I was much more anxious
about the handsome, brilliant-look
ing little brown horse than about nv
self.
''Puck is all right" Mr.. Pomfre
said.
! "And where is she %
"Ida?"
| Eyes,
"Here she comes," he replied
grayely, as Miss Ida made her ap
| pearance round a knoll. II sent he
to find a boy to come and take Pucl
back"
! Miss Ida Pomfret came up an,
leant forward gracefully on her pom
mel, still sitting well back in the sad
die, to speak to me. 81 hope your
not hurt but I never saw such rasl
riding in my life, Miss Dunbar"
\ "Nor did I but it was not Mis-
l.. Dunbar's," Mr.. Pomfret replied; an
I said,-
i II really think it was you starte
Puck" I said it most innocently
and saw with surprise that she colore
like fire.
IL suppose you will have nerv
, enough to ride home, if this boy lead
Puck" she asked -; and I said,-
Il "Oh yes )" but Mr.. Pomfret shoe
his head.
! "Miss Dunbar has sprained her al
kle, Ida"
y, "Then how is she to get home
Ida asked, eff you won't let her ride
J she can't walk
II "You will see how she is to g,
+ home" he answered, picking me u
in his arms, as he spoke. Then b
, mounted his own horse, holding n
+ easily the while; and I submitted pa
, sively through sheer amazement.
! "Really, Guyv Miss Ida exclain
r ed, Indignantly, ''do you think I a,
!, going to make one of such a proce
sion?"
i, That you'll please yourself about
he replied, coolly; than he told tt
boy to lead Puck home carefully, al,
| started up the hill at slow pace. !
) Twas half faint with the pain, an
: presently he saw that I was, SUI
!, pose, for he said,-
"The sooner I get you home, tt
better for your ankle, Miss Dunba
This old fellows gallop. is like
rocking-chair; tell me if you ca
bear it ?'
He slackened the reins, and IL
horse went off like an arrow at ono
Il eyes, I can bear this" I murmu
ed, as he grasped me more firmly, an
: Guy Pomret, said,-
"That's right,-that's plucky
and then sang
"Graut liebchen auch9 Der Mond schint he
J Hurrah die Todteu rciten schnell
Graut liebchen auch vor Todten?"
"Say more of FLenore' I rous,
myself to utter, as he paused; but
merely repeated the three lines
!, had already sung, and promised
read me the whole Of the maryello,
ballad that same afternoon.
II Iheard Mr.. Pomfret. tell his au