St. Landry democrat., 1892-11-05

81 don't know anything al Mt it," he
replied bluntly; II only know that do
adore you."
"What!" she said, half laughing, but
thoroughly pleased. "What do you say,
Mr.. Hamilton?"
II think I am in love with YOU"
She clicked to her horse and dashed
along the road. He kept at her side, her
horse was no match for his; but it was
impossible to manage the horse and pur-
sue the subject of conversation.
cit is great advantage of a horse
back conversation" she said, pleasant
ly, "that you can interrupt it so nicely"
"The interruption is not without con-
sequences. What was l saying, Miss
Forrest, when you started off SO sud
denly?"
II am sure 1 don't remember" she
answered.
81 was saying that I thought my nag
could beat Lockwood's, and that | would
be Supremacy happy if you would wear
violet and white when we have our race
next week"
In truth, Hamilton was notyet fully in
earnest. He was so accust omed to being
trifer that he seldom was in earnest.
But Miss Forrest was becoming more of
t1irt every day, and it was interesting to
observe what would be the result of this
encounter of Greek with Greek.
Everybody who was invited went out
to see the race between Hamilton and
Lockwood. Both men looked like
ruffians in their jockey costumes, but
the ladies said they were picturesque.
Conspicuous on the judges stand with
several favored individuals was Marie
Forrest, and she wore upon her breast
two ribbon bows-one of violet and blue
and the other of crimson. Lockwood
and Hamilton saw each others colors with
considerable chagrin,
The steeplechase course at Ivy City is,
I suppose, no worse than most courses
but it is villainous run, nevertheless,
and bears the imprint of the combined
ingenuity of the surgeon and undertaken.
1t was more good fortune than anything
else that prevented an accident Detailing
Hamilton or Lockwood in their race; but
it was owing entirely to the superiority
of his horse that Hamilton won by half d
length.
AS he rode up to the stand to catch the
Judges eye and receive the gesture assur-
ing him of his victory, he remarked that
Marie had taken his colors from heI
breast and held them in the air in tri-
umph.
Covered with dirt, the perspiration
streaming down his face, painting and
ready to fall with exhaustion and excite.
ment, he stood upon the weighing
scales few moments later. Among the
throng around him, again he noticed
Miss Forrest; and he was pleased to sec
that Lockwood's colors had been re-
moved and were no longer to be seen.
&. At a reception the evening after the
race, Hamilton saw Miss Forrest again.
II told you could beat that fellow, >
he said.
ooh, it was glorious!n said the girl;
"dear Suzette acquitted herself grandly.
Do you know, when you rose for the
water leap together, my heart stopped
beating, 1 was SO frightened"
"For which of us did it cease to beat,
MissForest? noticed with much pleasure
your impartial wearing of colors" He
spoke little scornfully. Was the tri1e1
getting serious.
She laughed. II knew you would
notice it; but Major Lockwood was in a
fury. He was almost rude, and said he
believed l was trifing with you. He is
funny man, Major Lockwood-what
do you think of him2'
81 think if you trifed with him, it
would do him good"
"But I must not trifle with you, is
that it2 Mr. Henry Hamilton is not to
be ranked with men of such inferiority
as officers of the pay corps of the army"
Hamilton WINGED a little. "1ou are
severe" he said. ut is true I am only
a Government clerk; but then, you see;
don't take any credit to myself because
of my occupation"
"And why are you only a Government
clerk?' she said, her manner changing
suddenly. Greatly, your are worthy of a
better career than that. Why don't yop
do something? You are clever enough.
You are very different from the other men
| see"
"Well," he said, laziIy, "perhaps I
shall some day; but, really, what does
it matter? | am alone in the world,
and my Incidence hurts no one but my
SELF"
He was leaning back on the divan, lux
uriating amid soft nest of sofa pillows,
and she was bending forward slightly with
her head turned toward him.
''Nr. Hamilton" she said, "suppose
there were some one whom your indo-
lence and wasted life hurt seriously, and
who would be very, very glad if you
would exert yourself and show the world
what you really are; suppose there were
such a one-a woman-would you rouse
yourself?"
He started up. eyes, oh, yes; may
hope that you will tell me there is such a
persona"
''Who knows2" she said: "perhaps I
may"
She turned her face away from him as
she spoke, and Immediately Lockwood
and her other vassals came dutifully about
her; and Hamilton, yielding up his place,
went home to think.
When he called at her house the next
evening he saw only Mrs. Forrest, her
daughter being indisposed; but before
he left the maid handed him little
bunch Of violets which, she said, Miss
Marie bad charged her to deliver to him.
The rivalry between Hamilton and
Lockwood was beginning to excite inter-
est. If she could, Miss Forrest saw
them separately; but when it was I'M
avoidable that she should see them at the
same time, she kept them on tolerably
good terms. It was great convenience
to her that the paymaster had more leis-
ure than the clerk; she could spend an
hour or two with the former early in the