San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-01
Ten Minutes to TW6lV6.
By NJ. G. MCLELLAND.

copyright by American. Press Asssociatinnl
the buggy. Spouswood sprang in beside
him, gathered up the reins, and they
were off, followed by a shout from Jim
Dodson:
MAKE her e~verlastin' toddle, Spots
wood! The suns a-clamberin' up to'ards
the j'ist mighty rapid. If you don't step
out peart, 10 o'clock will ketch you-all
gwine."
Il reckon not" the boy shouted back.
Clipper knows how to travel"
Then he turned with a reassuring air
to Royal: Don't you fret, doctor. Well
make it, now I've got you behind Clip.
per. shook in my shoes though awhile
back, that COMPOUNDED train dawdled so.
1t looked like fate was dead against you"
why don't somebody report those
trainmen?' demanded Royal, still in
censed over the delay and longing tc
punish somebody.
The boy laughed. where's the use?'
> he demanded in his turn. They've got
a monopoly, and complaints would go in
at one ear and out at the o,ler. They
aren't often SO much behind sthey were
today though, and | don't wonder you
wanted to lay on the whip. We'd have
made better time from the station on
horseback, but Phyllis was afraid the
ride would knock you up. The road isn't
bad, however, and we can make it driv.
ing if we look sharp" He whistled to
his horse and touched her lightly with
the whip.
How far is it?' Royal questioned,
glancing at his watch.
Half an hours drive to the house,
and fifteen minutes to the c~hurch-for
Clipper" the boy replied concisety. 1.-The
ro@a's been altered since you used to
Hnow it, | reckon: but you'll remember
where the church is-the one Miss Royal
built just after she came to the old
place in memory of John Hart She's
buried there, you know, under that big
oak near the vestry window. She told
Phyl once. a long time ago, that she
wanted her to be married there. Phyl
has been with us ever since Miss Royal
died, but the church is close by and
mighty convenient. Phyl wanted to be
married from the old place, but my
mother wouldn't hear of it. The house
has been shut up for nearly four months,
you know; it's bound to be damp and
stufy."
Where are you going now?" Royal
questioned, the demand for new plans
making itself disconcertingly apparent.
Straight to the church. If the train
was oil time | was to drive you out
home; if it wasn't, right to the church.
Phyl and the rest will meet you there"
The road had entered a skirt of woods,
and was irmer and more free from ruts
and mud holes. Clipper responded to
the improvement in a style which won
Royals admiration. Young Brandon
listened with the air of personal merit
mingled with assumed depreciation with
which the creature masculine always
hearkens to praises of his horse. He was
in high feather, filed with pride in his
mission, and chatted away merrily. His
father-oh Squire Brandon, a. he was
called-had intended meeting the train
himself, but had been prevented at the
last minute. Just the scurvy sort OF
trick fate had been playing John Royal
all through, the sick mans representa-
tive thought, as he heard it. Here was
more time i~rrevocably wasted, for it
would be useless explaining matters to
this boy.
The boy meanwhile, considering him
self, evidently, not a deputy to be de-
spised, put his horse along with a deft
avoidance of stones, mud holes, and
other impedimenta which to Royal, u
accustomed to mountain roads, seemed
little short of marvellous. He increased
Royals p~erplexity, too, with every word
he uttered, and with every intention OF
being agreeable forced more and more
absolutely upon that gentleman the con-
s~oiousness that things were at a deadlock.
1T was all right about the license"
~Spotswood gleefully assured him. Tom
had attended to that: Tom was to be
best man, as he doubtless knew. The
preacher would be up to the notch also:
Uncle Jeff-Miss Royals old carriage
driver-had gone for him at daybreak.
The wedding was everybody's wedding,
Phyl said. And it looked like it; for
the whole neighborhood wanted to take
a hand. Phyl was mighty popular, and
then people felt so sorry for her"
Royal, ~curiously enough, felt nettled
through all his p~erplexity, and then re-
allied with an inward touch of amuse-
ment that he was appropriating not only
John Royals position, but what might
naturally be John Royals feelings under
the circumstances.
AT point where the road forked young
Brandon suddenly drew up his horse and
handed the reins to his companion.
EEIn1l 10. N ,1a,4o .1oo.o - 10 ,o;J