Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-14
turn, and tie lights Of the village were sh
away from his misty eyes-

turn, and tie lights Of the village were shul
away from his misty eyeA-
The horses were trutting at their best
There was none too much time.
1t was far better than he had hoped. The
dangers had gathered so thckly, there had
seemed at one time hardly more than "A chance
for escape Peril seemed on every hand,
enemies 10 spring from every covert, and
stretch out their hands To stop the fugitives.
But the village was far behind now A few
moments more and the steaming horses would
draw up at the Lockout station, and they
would be whirled away fuster than any pur-
suer to peace and safety and honor.
"How odd it all Is, setting out in this way
~ II we were eloping,N
1Philip was reaching forward to take her
hand but lie drew back, as If he We're stung
How terribly thOughtess she was.
II explained about the steamers early
morning start
"Do YOU know resumed Bertha softly,
chow pleased | am TO have this trip to Eu-
rope 1t is II sort of wedding journey isn't
itN
How good God had been, to LET him keep
the awful truth from her. 1t would have
crushed her, the very thought Of her shame.
1t was crushing him.
II shall enjoy it very much" she said put
ting out her hand to him, in unusual fond
ness. II am afraid haven't returned your
goodness very wrliN No more she had
NV here shall We go first"
"TO the south of France, God willing he
added solemnly
Bertha looked at his face with now unx-
iety. The moonlight seemed TO bring out all
the marks of his terrible care and suffering.
But he gaZed at her in astOnishmcnt; he had
never seen an expression 50 near love in her
eyes for him Was her heart softening,
Would she vet make up to him in her new
love all that he lost for her sake But her
lips were moving.
II shall be better with you than | used to
be - she dropped her eyes before his
passionate JOY, the sadness had gone in an
instant from his face, his future seemed beau
tfully radiant again. Il feel different to-
ward YOU dear, ~
He bent forward to draw her to his heart
He was paid for everything He had taught
ms wife TO love him as he dreamed she could
love. She had lifted her rapt face toward
his II had cOme-the moment he had given
his life for But suddenly his heart stopped
beating: there was a sound of IA EallOping
horse. Philip kissed his wife, but as solemn
" as if she were dead, and put her away
from him. He leaned forward and looked
lack over the road they had come.
He saw nothing at first, but he heard the
sound of horses hoofs. He put his head far
out. 1t might have been IA white spCck in
the road but as he looked the speck became
larger and clearer, 1t was a white horse, at
a dead run, on their course. Philip Breton's
heart, that had just been almost bursting
with its new happiness was great, cold
stone in his breast. And he fancied he could
escape, with enemies like his and whole vii
lagc against him. He could see only one pur-
suer. All, he knew who it must be. And
that pursuer grew nearer every moment
"Drve faster" he shouted to the coach
man, run the horses.n
How like the wind his pursuer came.
Philip had thought there was but one horse
that could leap so nightly. Why this was
that one, his own horse Joe. Why it might
be a servant from his home with something
that had been forgotten. 1t need not be the
worst peril his fancy could picture' But he
dared not hope.
Isn't this delightful" exclaimed Bertha.
"Thero can't lie any danger of our missing
the train at this rate
"Whip your horses; don't spare them
faster.n
If anything should break their troubles
would all end that night. And the strain on
the harnesses and the groaning aXles was be-
yond all calculation of the makers. The
horses, too, had got past the control of the
driver. He had no more occasion to urge
the wild creatures: instead, he was pulling at
the reins with all his strength, but to no pur
pose, except so far he had kept them in the
road.
The rider Of the white horse was hatless,
and his long, loose hair and his swinging
hand, as he struck the painting white TANKS
of the horse, gave him an uucanny look as if
there were no deed of horror too blood Curd-
ling for him to do. The horse dropped big
flakes of foam from his mouth. foam mingled
with blood; his eyes and nOstrils were dilated
with agony; his breathing was like fierce
gusts of wind in Il tempest Philip Breton
knew the rider as well MS the horse. His pur-
suer was Currau; and the implacable laws
made him yet the husband of the woman
whom Philip Breton had made his wife.
They We're almost at Lockout Tie car
riagc gave terrible lurch at II turn in the
road The horses were almost taken off their
feet, but still there was no accident: the win
Il, ~ has ,P