San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-08

'No-o-o," said Rose timidiy.
And | reckon you wouldn't mind my
racin' bit if anybody KEN up'7
o NO"
The mares sort of fastidious about
takin' anybody's dust"
is she?" said Rose, with faint smile
Awful" responded her companion.
And the queerest thing of all, she can't
bear to have any one behind her either"
He leaned forward with his expression
of humorous enjoyment of some latent
joke and did something with the reins-
Rose never could clearly understand what,
though it seemed to her that he simply
lifted them with Ostentatious lightness-
but the mare suddenly appeared to length
en- herself and lose her height, and the
stalks Of wheat on either side of the dusty
track began to melt into each other, and
then slipped like fash into one long, con-
tinuuus shimmering green hedge. So per-
feet was the mares action that the girl
was scarcely conscious of any increased eff
fort; so harmonious the whole movement
that the light skeleton wagon seemed only
prolonged process of that long, slim body
and free, collarless neck, both straight as
the thin shafts on each side, and straighter
than the delicate ribbonlike traces which,
in what seemed a mere affectation of con-
scious power, hung at times almost limp
between the whiffietree and the narrow
breast band, that was all that confined the
animals powerful forequarters. So SUI
perb was the reach of its long, easy stride
that Rose could scarcely see any undula-
ton in the brown shining back, on which
she could have placed her foot, nor felt the
soft beat of the delicate hoofs that took the
dust 50 firmly and yet so lightly.
The rapidity of motion which kept them
both with heads bent forward, and seemed
to force back any utteranCe that rose to
their lips, spared Rose the obligation of
conversation, and her companion was
equally reticent But it was evident to
her that he half suspected she was running
away from the RanGolphs, and that she
wished to avoid the embarrassment of be-
ing overtaken even in persuasive pursuit
1t was not possible that he knew the cause
of her flight, and yet she could not account
for his evident desire to befriend her, nor
above all for his apparently humorous en-
joyment of the situation.
Had he taken it gravely she might have
been tempted to partly confide in him and
w
all? Ought she not to have stayed long
enough to speak her mind to Mrs. Ran
dolph and demand to be sent home? MOI
She had not only shrunk from repeating
the infamous SANDER she had overheard,
but she had terrible fear that if she had
done so Mrs Randolph was capable of de-
nying it, or even charging her with being
still under the influence of the earthquake
shock and of walking in her sleep. MOI
She could not trust her-she could trust
no one there. Had not even the major lis
tened to those infamous lies? Had she
not seen that he was helpless in the hands
of this cabal in his own household-a ca
bal that she herself had thoughtlessly
joined against him?
They had reached the first slight ascent.
Her companion drew out his watch, looked
at it with satisfaction and changed the po-
sition of his hands on the reins. Without
being able to detect the difference she
felt they were slackening speed. She
turned inquiringly toward him. He nod
ded his head with half smile and gest-
ure to her to look ahead. The spires of San
Jose were already family uplifting from
the distant fringe of oaks.
SO soon! In half an hour she would be
there-and then! She remembered sud
denly she had not yet determined what to
do. Should she go on at once to San Fran
cisco or telegraph TO her father and await
him at San Jose. In either case new fear
of the precipitanCy of her action and the
inadequaCy of her reasons had sprung up
in her mind. Would her father understand
her? Would he underrate the cause and
be mortified at the insult she had given the
family of his old friend, or, more dreadful
still, would he exaggerate her wrongs and
seek a personal quarrel with the ajor?
He was man of quick temper and had the
western ideas of redress Perhaps even
now she was precipitating duel between
them! Her cheeks grew wan again, her
breath came quickly; tears gathered in her
eyes. Oh, she was a dreadful girl she
knew it! She was an utterly miserable
one, and she knew that, too!
The reins were frightened, the pace les
sened and at last fell to walk. Conscious
of her telltale eyes and troubled face she
dared not turn to her companion to ask
him why, but glanced across the fields.
when you first came | didn't get to
know your name, Miss Mallory, but
reckon know your father"
Her father! What made him say that?
She wanted to speak but she felt she could
not. In another moment, if he went on,
she must do something-she would cry!
Il reckon you'll be wanting to go to the
hotel first anyway"
There! she knew it! He would keep on!
And now she had burst into tears.
The mare was still walking slowly; the
man was lazily bending over the shafts as
if nothing had occurred. Then suddenly,
illogically, and without moments warn
ing, the pride that had sustained her