The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-02-26

shot out to96ta<s from the mark. A
first the rpnh( practiced at flying from
ths'start, al kaying lcss tliomentun
than the hor4 N rew out ia front. IA q
few seconds {yas some twenty yards
ahead. The n69 gap between them
ceased to WI rs aaP.itiyas seen TO be
slowly at frA. but ginning surely .strldo
by stride. When half the coursS was
covered tt3c horse bad drawn up level
and then /came. such n race M had never
yet bee a seen. For a hundred yards aud
more tiA Ne two ran locked together, side
by side, Sbe runnct almost flying over the
crisp turf, the horse stretched out In n
ferce gailob, with the rider standing In
the stirrupt And now the goal was only
ifty yards away, but the gazcrs drew a
ieep breath as they saw that now the
horse was gaining was drawing out in
iro Mt. For one Instant II seemed that
all was over; the next 20 their amaze.
mcnt, they were conscious that tdc horse
Was falling Their they saw gallant
light; they saw thStrunuer nerve him.
self for last effort nnd close upon the
goal, dash pa.tssE><~ iorsc and past the
judges and fall hi long on the turf.
At that scene, hP2itc OF disciplinc,r
frantic cheer broke forth along the liuc.
Even Fcvcrslam himself smiled grimly,
~ one who, though he had just lost
bet, had gained its full equivalent III
plcasurable excitement.
The winner, vino had fallen painting
and exhausted, was raised into a sitting
posture by two troopers, and in few
seconds he was able, though still weak
and dizzy, to stand upon his feet aud
look about him-
A few PAGES off bis beaten rival stood
beside his horse. Dare looked at him,
and their eyes met Quixarvyn's face
bore an almost impcrccptiblc smile but it
was not this, but something in his look
which the other could not have defined,
which struck him backward like
shock. He staggered back pace or
two. bcwildcred by the light which
broke upon his mind. Flcn nc stepped
up To his rivals side, and the guards, who
saw no cause to interfere, falling back
little, he put his mouth close to Quix-
arvyn's ear:
"You pulled that horse, he said.
Quixarvyan looked ut him, bu:
answered not word.
"Iou let me wn,' tire other went on,
his voice breaking. "For her sake you
did it,"
Quixarvyn drove his nails intSI,is
palms, he hal acted, he was acting, not
without bitter cost.
"Makc her happy" he said, briefly.
as he spoke hc turned away aud strobe
swiftly To his old position Mt the head of
the line Of prisoners, before which tho
firing party was again drawn up.
Dare turned his back upon the scene
AMI thrust his fingers in his ears. Never
thclcss, he could still hear with horrible
distnc;ncss the Sergeant's loud, clear
voice, with an Interval between the
words
"Rcady!"
"Prcscntm
"Firc!"
Almost as the word was given came
the crash of the report. Moved by an
impulse which he could not conquer lie
turned around with shuddcr. Tho
soldiers were lowering their smoking
muskcts, aud u thick white cloud hun.
above the line OF the rr isoncrs stretched
Upon the ground. At he extremity oI
the line Quixarvyn lay upon his face,
with his right hand clcnchcd upon Il
portrait which he had taken from his
breast, and Il bullet through his heart. -
The Strand Magazine.