The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-01-26

eddies in the transparent clearness of the
atmosphere, OF lifted his head to examine
the windows of the houses TO surprise a
pair of eyes that contemplated hand that
drew aside a curtain. and he was happy az
the little effect produced by his passage.
| Impelled by force of habit, he had taken
the road to tie quarters. He perceived it
presently and smiled contemptuously
nevertheless continued his route. He de-
sired to see for the last time the beings and
things familiar to him. He salu;ed with
the tips. OF has fingers the sentry who pre-
sented arms, gave an amicable good day to
the sous officer on guard, a man Of his
own squadron, made the tour of tho bar
racks without dismounting, threw glance
at the stables, directed the officer of the
day to remit some punishmeuts that had
been inflicted the evening before, passed to
the gate, leaped it and turned and swept
the buildings with gaze Of adieu.
Only then did his heart sink, and, fear
ing the trouble that invaded him, he put
his mare to the trot, seeking to fly his
weakness. He had resumed the way to
the fore.t; before long he was In the
woods. r. Us of sunlight filtered through
out The leaves. designing the shadows of
the branches upon the brownish earth.
Drops of the nights rain still pearled upon
the grasses.
Captain Random brought his horse to
walk. "There is plenty of time,' he said,
and allowed himself to go dreaming idly.
soothed by the freshness of the morning
breeze.
In the meantime he had passed into a
wide, sandy alley-''the training alley" as
he remembered, of the barracks; he had
travelled two kilometers at jump He
dropped the rens upon Ninche's neck, and
The head and shoulders of the mare bal
anced to the left with the regularity of
pendulum. Random was absolutely con-
tent--content with the pride of resolution
well and firmly taken. He was happy even
to find himself calm and proud of his
bravery.
AT the end of the alley he trayersed a
wide clearing, and a hundred meters fur
ther stopped. Behind a tall hedge near
by, stones throw from the highway, not
more, the line of the railway ran; the de-
scent that led to it was perpendicular and
covered with pebbles and jagged points of
stone. Pale as a corpse, Random observed
it, a strange emotion holding him, his legs
weakening beneath him. He made half
turn, threw his animal upon her launches
and advanced again, but at walk, There
was plenty of time.
Ninche was afraid of a tree that had
fallen across her route, and plunged Violent
ly. A little more and Ranion had been
dismounted. 1t was painful surprise to
him,
"Chutr' he cried, ''what is the matter
with me? Can 1 ride no more?" And,
afraid of being afraid, he stiffened himself
anew and began to pet and sooshe her
less to calm his animal, perhaps, than to
reassure himself.
"GentlY, Mamie, gently; no precipita.
tion. Easy, my girl, easy. Thou shalt
have the gallop by and by.'
Again he stopped and made a half tun
again hesitated; for the desire to wheel,
the desire to fly and return no more had
come upon him strongly; but only for an
instant Then quickly-unwillng to allow
himself moment to regret-he rose in his
stirrups, bent his body forward, and-the
race began.
The wind cut his cheeks, tears wet his
eyelashes, but still he went with dizzying
rapidity, the trunks of the trees passing
him like specters. Nothing was clear oil
misunderstanding but vague, confused
impression that it was his life thus flying
from him in fragments.
But still he wont, and now it was the
noise of a horse that he believed he heard
pursuing him. He turned in the saddle
nothing-the noise was nothing but the
noise of the pebbles that Ninche's flying
feet cast behind her. But this idea that 3
horse pursued him pleased Ills fancy, set il
going, and Immediately he imagined him
self upon the tracks ana making the last
grand round. He buried the pace of hi:
mount.
The circuit of the clearing had twice
been passed; the gait was frightful, but th'
hedge was before him; behind the hedge
he OWNED it without seeing 1.-THE preci
piee, with It's jagged, rocky sides, TheT
he felt himself at the end OF his breath
the air he swallowed came from his pant
inn Inn0e in shritt ,rlistiae
In the twnkling of an eye he had
p vision, dim realization Of that which wa
to be his death fall into space, com
n plele failure OF respiration. crushing blo'
5 upon the head
n The idea OF stopping the mare crosse
q his mind. He bore the reins-too late
: Already he was upon he hedge. H
!, closed his eyes; he abandoned himself, bu
l. nstinctiyely loosening the reins and loci
IS ing his legs according TO his habit whe
IS eaping obstacles,
He had a half consciousness of the Tu'
!. ment when Ninche arose in the air, Il
IS experienced a sense of relief; IL was I'll
" ished.
q He had forced himself neither to hear,
r. see nor too breathe, but he bent his spir
as one who awaits volley of blows from
= cudgel How long it was, that boundir
and rolling; and then that dull noise
: shock upon the hard ground that he hear
an I am swooning," he thought. u an
Of "A cruel pain in his head recalled bin
M "He had broken Il. Had he"- But il
i, mediately there was second shock tn
shook him from head % foot--a sensati'
IL, Of rending and tearing throughout
MS body. He remembered thatihe had fall
upon the undoubtedly ira
he had passed and cut him in two.
le An hir ideas were couded-a mist befc
IN his eyes-but he was peaceful and comic
/ ale-na wished to remain thus alWaye