Telegram-herald., 1890-02-13

tone WAS sweet, thrilling. appeaAlS' yss
oommznding. she would see hls tsce.
"MF Perrv-Nedi Look a. lie.
"Eb. Oh. What. ] beg cur pardon.
Mrs. Bslknap, bu- was trying 60 MAKE
cat wbo that wAs in the timber yonder.
Looks-looks almost Ike = woman ca
horseback. doesn't iIy'
Bat when be appealed 70 her for con
6rmaci0n q his tinid, half crednio1s
vision hs was aghast ar the look IA her
face.
You were not listening. Yen were
not even thinking q what ! was saving"
she began, her white teeth SCI, her sotE
lips hvid with wrath. buE she suddenly
controlled herself-none toe soon, FOR
Dana came trotting up.
Say. Perry. what do you make that
out 70 be down there in the valley Col
Brainard and feel sure its lady On
horseback
And, looking AT Perry. Mrs. Belknap
saw that he had flushed 70 the very tenn
ples-that al eager. joyous light had
sprung 10 his eyes, but before she could
say word there came a shout from the
hantsman. a yell from the leading line. a
nmultaneous yelp from the ours and
nongreis among the 'irregulars, and
Ter horse ieaped al the DIT and went tear
ng of toward the Nonee. foremost Ia
mad pursuit Of wild careering Jack.
"Comer she called, as she glanced
over her shoulder: but the sight was one
hat only added TO her wrath Nolan,
piunging and snorting, was held TO the
spot, while his rider, sitting like cen
taur, was still eagerly gazing over into
The distant cottonwOods. The next in-
slant she realized that all the field were
laundering at her heels. and the instinct
If the sportsman came 10 her aid She
could not be beaten in the chase.
For half mile Bunny shot like streak
Of light straight away southwestward,
the hounds punched in slaty, sweeping
cloud not thirty yards behind the bobbing
tuft of his tail Then he began long
circle towards the stream, as though to
head for a break" that extended some
rods back from the line of bluffs. Another
minute and he had reached It's partial
shelter and darted in. For the next min
ute he was lost TO sight of his human
pursuers, but presently flashed into view
again down in the creek bottom and
"streaking it" up along the northern
bank, with the whole pack at his heels.
The bluffs were steep just here, some Of
the riders a trifle timid. and all the
field" reined in little as they made
the descent; Dana, Mrs. Belknap, Parke,
Mrs. Lawrence, Graham, the colonel and
Mrs. Sprague Strengthened out for their
pursuit in the order named. the instant
they reached the level of the valley. The
hounds were far ahead by this time, and
the two light troopers in charge OF them
close at their heels; but who-what was
the figure that flashed into view between
those huntsmen and the field, darting like
arrow from the fringe of willows and
dashing straight in wake of the quarry!
Thirty yards ahead of the foremost riders
of the Rossiter party a superb English
hunter, the bit in his teeth, his eyes afire
and MS head high in air, fresh, vigorous,
raging with long imprisoned passion for
the sport of the old island home, gaining
OF the hounds at every stride, and defy
ing the utmost efforts of his rider, leaped
from the covert of the timber into sight
Of one and all. bearing a lovely but most
reluctant victim on his back.
In vain with might and main she
leaned back and tugged at the reins
though checked in his speed. the horse
still tore ahead, keeping straight for the
hounds, leaping in his easy stride every
little gully or branch that crossed his
path. Bunny took sudden dive into
the timber, fairly flew across a narrow,
gravelly rapid, and darted up on the op-
pOsite bank: the hounds veered in pur-
suit, the huntsmen wavered and sought
along the bank for better place TO cross,
but the mettlesOme English bay lunged
through in the very wake of the hounds,
crumbling the sandy banks and crashing
through the pebbly stream bed Out ON
the southern slopes went Bunny, close
followed hy the hounds; out on their trail
went the big hunter, but his riders hat
has been brushed away in the wild dash
through the timber, and now 4 flame Of
beautiful golden hair-a great wave Of
light-iiies on the wind over his glossy
hack, and. though she still leans over the
cantle tugging hard at the reins. she is
plainly losing strength. Some Of the
Rossiter party burst through the timber
in pursuit. some still ride hopefully up
the north ha0k. and these are rewarded.
for once again poor, badgered, bewil
dercd 8vnnv makes a sudden swerve
and. throwing half the hounds far be-
hind. darts n second time TO the shelter
Of the banks. with the other half closer
at his heels than before.
Those who were watching see the big
hua.er making a hong. circular sweep
then once again bring uD in the wake Il
the leaders. once more 80 laaping, pllng-
ing. crashing through the stream. aud
ira another minute. rabbit, hounds
huntsmen, the field" ami the fair in
co-n ita are all strung ont i1 c01sc along
t.e northern shore. ard au eyes can sec
that s1e is an English cIri and well nigh
exhausted. StlL no man can catch that
hunter AMI ~ hands on the rein She
il riding with the foremo-. now. leading
the troopers. even. and still Bunny spins
along in front. tbe hounds cn8shlnZ not
SIX feet behind him a little point ~
bluT iuts ont Just ahead. the stream
winds rouud its rate and takes q tIun
northHa ard for a dozen rods Bunny
shoots the turn like the pilot - the
lightning express. the hounds strain -