Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-05-22
Justice to the obstinacy of their nature,

competent to teach addition to a girl"
"And are you sure the preacher under
stands?"
Sure, darling; he's to be at Brother
Stilwell's tonight, on his way to the Kill
deer appointment. Now, old fellows, do
your best. Mr.. Mason told me not to spare
horsefcsh."
As the chatter of the hoofs rang down the
road past John Mason's two unusual night
Incidents might have been ,witnessed-the
CLEAN of a light across the fields, swaying
and Pickering as though carried by an ex-
cited, unsteady hand, and man leaning
against the door Of John Mason's stables,
whiting a stick and musing over some
thing which evidently pleased him much
He, he! never helped take them out Of
here. Can't prove it by me who's takil'
to stealth: hain't | been behind the hay
stack tryin' to hammer the bung in that
barrel? An it wouldn't stay, but it made
an awful racket. There's one consolation:
if them there bosses have to 20 fur, they've
been well fed an every shoe is as sound as
a trigger-ha, ha.' And Ben Stone shut
up his knife and went in to inform his
master that as likely as not some one had
stolen something or other about the place,
but it couldn't be proved by him.
"Shut up and 90 to bed with you, and
don't answer questions until your asked +"
was the curt reply, with this addition IN
an undertone: 81 wouldn't begrudce
the best span I've got to get even with cd
Gringer once more"
Patter patter! click, click neck to neck
and nostril to nostril, along ridge and
through wooded hollow skinned the two
fleet coursers like some well mated birds
of fight. But few words were exchanged
but two pairs of human ears, at least
strained, minute by minute to catch tn.
first sound of expected pursuit.
Out Of another valley and up to the tor
of another ridge they 90 steadily, painting
and steaming. They pause second t.
breathe, and look and listen
Away back on the last ridge mile or
more away, the moonlight glistens on
something bright-a silver plated buckl e
or saddle decoratiOu-and then there comes
a clear. ringing sound, as when steel strikes
flint.
Hes coming! Oh, hurry, Dick We cat
not reach Mr.. Stilwell's in time: it's'-
''Three miles yet, and''-
you know Fleetwood's gait: Mr.. Ma
son never had "A horse that could outrun
him. What shall we doS Oh, if only we
were"-
Married and could call you my own;
then | would not need to run to a step,
but could defend my right to you in the
eyes of the law. Listen! What's that
ahead?'
"The Corners are just down there, you
know, and some one may be coming on the
cross road"
"An ideal That is the direction from
which the preacher comes What if it
should be But, no; he's going straight
ahead of us. Yes, there he turns, Whip
up, and let's overtake him, whoever the
rider ben'
And the two blown and faded horses
were urged afresh.
\ quarter of "A mile; half mie three
quarters. The sound of hoofs in both di-
rections are growing distinct. Oh, so near
behind.
Call him, Richard! He may stop. Oh,
if it only is.
But your father will hear, too, and
hasten! Hello, therel Waltz
"Who is it,
Il can't be mistaken in that voice, Dick.
He has stopped. Now
In a moment the overtaken party was
seen, sure enough. to be the very preacher
they We're riding hard and fast to find. But
while The situation was being explained
the footsteps of the pursuing horse were
heard close by, and in a minute another
"llello'' rang on their ears, hoarse and in
turiated, stop. stop, command YOU!
Mamie your father tells you to stop!
Young man, III horsewhip you on the spot
If you don't give me my daughter.'
The two looked at each other in despair.
There would scarcely be time to begin the
ceremony. Must they be torn asunder
when so near the goal; The thought made
the girl turn pale, and she almost sank
helpless in her lovers arms.
But the preacher, backwoodsman that he
was, was man of wit and resources, and
of heart as well. Keep on" said he
quietly, land ride as fast as you can. | will
follow. Join your hands and sit firm in
the saddle when tell you. l have it ell an
the tip of my tongue. The Lord please
you'll be man and wife before that horse
brushes his nose against yours"
Chatter, clatter-clink, clink rang the
sharp hoof beats! Nearer and nearer they
came together; but the words rolled off the
preachers lips, AS he rose and sank in his
stirrups, faster than the speed of the racers
Ii was "A race of tongue against hoof,
The wild, mad peting of the iron shod
feet We're pitted against heart throbs and
brain pulses and trembling lips!
The strain upon John Mason's horsefesh
and its iieeter competitor, whose master
spared him neither pain nor life, was tell
| ing; but the tension on two hearts tina,
were tortured by suspense was still more
terrific.
Nearer and nearer sped Fleetwood, unit
his hoarse painting almost drowned tn,
preachers words, But a few rods separated
| them
Join your right hands, came the SHARP
command.
Halt, command you, in the name
of
Put spurs! Forasmuch as Richard w
Anderson and Anne Gringer have con
scented to-
"Hold up there I'm an officer of the
law" demanded another voice, drowninl
the rest of the preachers "forasmuch.'
But the wild wedding party dashed for
ward, now almost covered by the dust tn,
others raised, and the preachers lip.
worked fast.
"ln the name of the Father
Halt, or you'll suffer the penal'-
And of the Son"--
give me my daughter, you villainw
"And of the Holy Ghost | pronounc.