Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-05-10


As tired infant at the mothers breast.
Without care. without a thought of fear,
I Waking To greet upon the other shore
lie glorious host OF comrades gone before.
Earth to its kindred earth:
The spirit 70 the fellowship of sOulSi
As slowly Time the mighty scroll UnTOllS
I OF waiting ages Yet to nave their birth.
/ Fame, faithful to the faithful writes on high
! Ills name as one that WIS not born 10 die.
LCopyrlghtl
TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS
James T. M'Kay, in The Galaxy.
[Concluded.l
NELL.
/ The dusk grew On. She came out t.
the door and listened. There came NJ
sound OF horses feet. She went in, laiC
the cloth and set the table for tea. The
clock moved on to s. She grew anxious
She listened at the window, at the door
out in the road. She went in again. Nc
sign or sound of Prent She sat at the
window and watched. | need not tel
You how she fretted and feared. The
hands Of the clock moved slowly round
1t struck at last. Still no sign or sound
She got up, took the spoons and forks,
unlocked the iron safe and put them in.
(The safe was Uncle Clitton's when he
had the old store at Lindesley). She
meant to start South if Prent did not
come before long. She saw that the
doors were fast, shut the blinds, straight
ened things up little, put on her shawl
and went out. She leaned over the gate
and listened.
She had stood there a long time She
turned to lock the front door; she could
not wait longer. But she stopped. What
was that It's gone now. No-there it
is again. 1t dies away; then bursts out
again with a clear clamor Trample
trample, trample, trample. Louder and
nearer every mOment-the regular patter-
ing, scurTying tramp of a horse at wild,
free run. 4 quick pain shot through
Nell heart. She knew that was not the
tramp Of horse under guidance of man.
She knew that he carried an empty sad
die as certainly as if she had heard the
flying stirrups rattle and clank. She ran
along to the barnyard gate, threw it wide
open, caught up long pole, and stood
across the road.
The flying horse came on, trample,
trample, trample. Round the bend now,
along the orchard fence, past the house,
and close upon her, head down, and
wild. She shouted, fOurised
her pole, struck at the horses head. 1t
swerved and leaped through the gate.
She knew it was not Driver. She shut
the gate. The horse ran round the yard,
then slower, then trotted, head up, snort
ing and stepping high. Then she stop
ped at the barn and looked around Nell
went up. The mare drew off at first, but
Nell coaxed her, and got her hand on
the bride after minute or two. She
patted the mares smooth neck and head,
talked to her: $500, Nancy"
Nell led her up to the house, where
the light shOne out from the window.
She knew the mare-Brame's roam, Sky
lark. The Squire had driven her over
only last week. Saddle and bride she
knew, too; knew them and trembled with
a horrible fear. They were Prent's?
There was the rent in the skirt that she
darned two days ago. There was the
new stirrup strap on the near side and
the new ring bit in the bride.
She hitched the mare to the gate, went |
in, put out the light and locked the |
loor. She opened the gate, flung over
5he off stirrup, stepped up on the gate,
md leaped on.
Past the house and the garden. IN
Ter the shadow of the orchard trees, |
5rotting faster and faster. She has the
mare well in hand. There is only one
hOught in her mind-to get to Brame's.
She calls to the mare, and breaks her in
o run. From that it is one long hurl-
Dg flight all the nine gathering miles.
Along the clear high road, by fields and
level and slope. Down through
rreacle Hollow, mile long tunnel of
gloom, through over arching trees. Up
Igain-out through the hills-orG with
| rush and away. Hill and level, dip
md rise, straight stretch and winding
urye, no break Or halt, horse and rider
IS one, flying, flying, flying. The pant
ng mare stopped at the tavern door.
"Halloa!" she called. "Quick, there
lalloa!"
The Squire came out with a-frighten-
d face. He knew the voice. He saw
lis mare, Skylark. He looked in NeIl's
ace. He knew what it was.
'Ain't you seen him, Nell?"
She shook her head. She stepped up
n the piazza. "What shall [ do?''
He slipped mis- hand under the saddle.
lie came close to her and whispered:
The moneys hereunder the saddle.
hey can't have hurt him. wouldn't
ght when he knew the bonds were safe.
DON'T fear, girl"
81 must find him, Squire Brame," she
aid. "YOu will help me, won't you!"
"Wait Bit he said. "We1l 90 to-
ether"
He led the mare round to the barn.
ook off the saddle and the precious pad.
lie shut the doors, dug out hollow in
he side of the NOW, stuffed the pad in
nd covered it over. Nell was waiting
utside. He came out.
"I'n call up POnt," he said. "He's
hree-quarters Ingin, and tracks like
ound."
He ran in, and came back after
minute. Nell went into the barn. Driver
TODD at the rack, quite fresh and rested
low. They saddled three horses, side
addle on Driver.
They mounted and rode away. West
Iown the pike to the turn North. Pont
.ot down with his lantern, and the Squire
Pont crossed the road from
ence to fence, searching the ground at
he turn.
"Track OBJ Massa Prent and Skylark,
,oin' out. Missy Nelly an Skylark
omin' in. Sporter's black mare goin
iord. Two strangers come from West
nd gone nord.' Ii