The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-02-16

z slue uOof.
! saw no more Of either until ",
mounted for the meet, when Jaci
came out, and rode by my side
Lady Alice had gone ahead, attend
ed by the duke. We dropped {
little behind. Then Jack said, ex
citedly:
Congratulate me, old fellow. Af
ter all, | half believe she cares fol
me. You saw our meeting this
morning. I kept my word with
Gwendoline; / didn't seek Alice
It was pure accident; but wasn't
going to refuse what fortune threw
in my way. Sill, its no use, they
VIII never let me have her. But its
hard lines" lie took off his cap, as
he spoke, and wiped away great
drops of perspiration, which had
started ont on his forehead.
We found fox at Beechy Hol-
low. The run that followed viii be
talked of for many years; and one
Of the formost in that run was Lady
Alice. | have seen scores Of fine
/ horsewomen, but never one her
equal; she sat firm, yet supple
and went like 4 Diana. The chase
led us first to Crosscut lane:
then by Alder copse; and so across
/ the country for miles, as straight as
the crow flies. 1t soon threw out all
except the most daring; but among
{ these was Alice and, Of course the
duke had TO follow her.
Hang the fellow" said Jack, ''he
rides like a cad; but then he's SUI
/ perbly mounted. On such horse
as his, any fellow could keep up
with Alice
The huntsman and two others
were in front; Alice and the duke
close after; and Jack and | some
distance behind. Suddenly hunts
man came to a stiff fence with a
hedge, and bit of water beyond.
1 1t was worth u month out of ones
life to see him take that fence, fol-
lowed by the other red coats. The
duke, as he and his fair companion
approached it. was trife in adj
vance. But his horse, somehow, as
he took the leap, caught its foot in
the top rail, and came down the
fence crashing after. his Grace being
pitched, head-forrnost into the wa
ter beyond Lady Alice, following
close behind. went over like q bird.
For just one instant, she seemed
about to pub up. But seeing that
the duke had already recovered his
feet, and was unhurt, she gave n !
gay nod, and dashed on.
by Jove, he's had a spill Don't |
he look Ike a drowned water rat?"
laughed Jack, grimly, as the duke,
dripping, and woe-begone, stood |
looking disconsolately, after his
rapidly receding mistress. They
can't blame me, now, for joining
Alice; it would never 90 to let her
go unattended; goodbye old boy"
He gave his mare her head, as he
spoke, and was Off like q rifle shot
The powerful animal had been re-
strained with difficulty, all along,
and now rushing on, as if knowing
exactly what his master wished
Jack reached the stream while the
duke was still Struggling to pull his
horse out of the ditch. With a care
less nod, Jack was over I thought
| saw Lady Alice look back, and
slacken her pace, when she recog-
nized Jack. At any rate, Jack was
soon up with her. The last l be-
held of them, they were taking
tremendous fence, at the top of a
hill, far off, side by side.
! had made detour, so as to avoid |
the water, for l was not particularly
well mounted. and now / glanced /
behind me. The field was quite de-
serted. Most of the hunters had
taken what they thought would
prove IA short cut to where the fox
woula be probably killed. Even
the duke, who had now got his
horse ont of the ditch, had turned
OF, apparently satisfied that Lady
Alice was too far ahead to be overta-
ken, ard was obviously going home.
resolved. however to keep on
Jack and Lady Alice had long been
out Of sight, but | pounded steadily
ahead. and so came, at last, to the
huge fence. which / had seen them
take together. As my horse was
quite unequal to the leap, | turned
aside FOR gateway, which ] observ-
ell 10 the left. /, had just passed
through, however, when to my hor-
ror, ! beheld Lady Alice to the
right, living at full length on the
turf alone, and seemingly lifeless,
her hair all loose.
] was about to hurry up, when /
noticed Jack running, with his hat ;
fnll of water. Evidently he had
been to spring somewhere near.
He fell on his knees by Lady Alice,
sprinkled the water on her lace, and /,
chafied her hands at intervals; all
the time imploring her, in the most
passionate accents, to look up, to
speak, "only 70 let him know she
wasn't dead.n A dozen times he
kissed her, as he addressed this inn
ploring language to her. At last,
She began TO stir, and, with quite a
shiyer, looked up: and then smiled
in Jacks face. Shall [ ever forget
the rapture Of that look? II am not
wanted here" ! said, with a shrug
of the shoulders, and turning my
horses head, l rode noiselessly back
through the gate, and away.
That evening, as ] was dressing
for dinner, Jack burst into my room.
BY Jove old boy" he cried, you
are a trump. l saw you at the gate,
just as you stole OF. Alice don't
know you were there. Give me your
hand. ANY other fellow would have
in, to ask what he could
do to help. You've made me the
happiest man alive. Alice won't
marry the duke she's loved me all
the time, she says she'll wait fer
me, if necessary, for years yes, till
Something. you know,
must turn up-bonanzas you call
'em, in your country. that make
moor devils rich in n day ~