San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-10

usual, surrounded by admirers, it natur-
ally fell to Percy's lot to escort Miss
Leslie, who had little the appearance
of having been shouldered aside by the
throng.
81 liked your speech better than Mr.
Gladstone's, she said at once. without
any preface.
He looked very much surprised, but at
the same time gratiied. "Oh-but I'm
afraid that's impossible" he answered
1T can't be impossible, because it is
the fact. | admit that he carried me
away for the time but he didn't en-
tighten me in the least, whereas you did.
And prefer being enlightened to being
carried away"
Then you must be very unlike the
generality of your sex" remarked Percy.
And indeed" he added presently. II
think that in many ways you are"
This sounded doubtful sort of COM
pliment to pay in return for the hand
some one which he had received, and it
probably occurred to him that his words
| were open to misconstruction, for he
FASTENED to explain that if Miss leslie
differed from the generality Of women
that was only because she was appar-
entity free from their defects. 'The
truth is that | am something of a
woman hater," he said, laughing.
| This avowal did not astoniSh Dorothy.
who was aware that he had reasons for
being what nobody whose mind is in a
perfectly healthy state ought to be. AS.
however, she could think of no consola-
tory rejoinder she held her peace, and
before either of them could speak again
her attention was fully taken up by
other and more pressing matters The
horse that she was riding was fresh and
perhaps rather too high couraged for a
lady who was not (as Lady Belvoir was)
finished horsewomen. Somebody can
tering briskly past caused him to break
INTO gallop and Dorothy perceived that
the situation was rapidly becoming criti-
cal
Thorold saw it, too, for he exclaimed:
"Take care! Don't let him get out of
your hand"
He is out of my hand already" an
swered the girl, little breathlessly; 81
can't hold him"
OF all disagreeable places in which to
be bolted with Rotten Row is the most
disagreeable. You are very likely to
get killed; you are not at all unlikely to
kill somebody else, and in any case you
are quite certain to incur universal CEN
sure for having allowed such thing to
happen to you Fortunately for Dor
othy Leslie. she was preserved on this
occasion from breaking her own neck or
from scattering death and destruction
around her; and, fortunately for Percy
Thorold, he was the instrument of her
preservation.
There is not much use in catching hold
of the bride Of a. runaway horse, but a
strong arm may be of service when he
has almost but not quite run away, and
Percy was just in time to avert catas-
trophe. However, he and his companion
had galloped nearly as far as Kensington
gardens before they came to standstill,
and Lady Belvoir, who, as matter of
fact, was unaware of what had occurred,
was nowhere to be seen. Dorothy was
for riding back and joining her, but to
this Mr.. Thorold would not consent.
"You must let me take you home" he
said; "that horse is really little bit too
much for you. He won't break away
with you in the streets; but wouldn't
answer for him here, and it isn't worth
while to run risks"
"But won't Lady Belvoir be anxiouss"
suggested Dorothy doubtfully.
"Well, no." he replied, with slight
smile; 81 don't think 80. She isn't al
very anxious sort of person, you know;
she will be sure to think it is all right"
So Dorothy allowed him to escort her
to Carlton House terrace, and he COM
plimented her upon the nerve which she
had shown, and she thanked him for his
| timely aid, and in the course of the next
twenty minutes greater degree of in
| timacy sprang up between them than
would have been likely to result from as
many chance meetings under more or
| binary circumstances. They reached
their destination without any further
mishap, and Dorothy had hardly dis
mounted when Lady Belvoir clattered
up, attended by Eustace Moreton.
Lady Belvoir, as has been foreseen,
had been disturbed by no anxiety about
her charge. She laughed and remarked:
~ thought we should find you here. II
hope you have enjoyed your ride, both of
you"
Dorothy gave brief account of what
had happened, which was listened tol
with some amusement, and even with al