The Opelousas courier., 1892-04-09

shot out together from the mark. a.
first the runner, practiced at flying from
the start, and having less momentum
than the horse, drew out in front. In a
few seconds he was some twenty yards
ahead. Then the gap between them
ceased to widen, then it Yves seen to be
decreasing; the horse was gaining
slowly at first. but gaining surely, stride
by stride. When half the course was
covered the horse had drawn up level
and then came such q race as had never
yet been seen. For a hundred yards and
more the two ran locked together. side
by side, the runner almost flying over the
| crisp turf, the horse stretched out in a
fierce gallop, with the rider standing in
the stirrups. And nov the goal was only
fifty yards away; but the gazers drew a
'eep breath as they saw that now the
horse was gaining-was drawing out in
fro MT. For one instant it seemed that
all was over; the next, to their amaze
ment, they were conscious that the horse
was falling. Then they saw a gallant
sight; they saw the runner nerve hum
self for a last effort and close upon the
goal, dash past the horse and past the
judges and fall headlong on the turf.
At that scene, in spite of discipllne,a
frantic cheer broke forth along the line.
Even Feversham himself smiled grimly,
as one who, though he had just lost a
bet, had gained It's full equivalent In
~pleasurable excitement.
The winner, VINO had fallen painting
and exhausted, was raised into a sitting
posture by two troopers, and in a few
seconds he was able, though still weak
and dizzy, to stand upon his feet and
look about him.
A few PAGES off his beaten rival stood
beside his horse. Dare looked at him,
and their eyes met. Quixarvyn's face
bore ar almost imp%erceptible smile ;;but it
was not this, but something in his look
which the other could not have defined,
which struck him backward like a
shock. He staggered back a pace or
two, bewildered by the light which
broke upon his mind. Then he stepped
up to his rivals side, and the guards, who
saw no cause to interfere, falling back a
little, he put his mouth close TO Quiz
arvyn's ear:
"You pulled that horse" he said.
Quixarvyan looked at him, but
answered not a word.
'sYou let me win," the other went on, |
his voice breaking. ''For her sake you
did it."
Q~uixarvyn drove his nails into his
palms, he had acted, he was acting, not
without a bitter cost.
SNAKE her happy" he said, briefly.
AS he spoke he turned away aud strobe
swiftly to his old position at the head of
the line Of prisoners, before which the
firing party was again drawn up.
Dare turned his back upon the scene
and thrust his fingers in his ears. Never
theless, he could still hear with horrible
distinetness the sergeant's loud, clear
voice, with IN interval between the
words
"Ready!''
"Present!'
"Fire!'
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 a shudder. The
were lowering their smoking
nusketa, and a thick white cloud hung
lbove the line Of the rr isoners stretched
lpon the ground. At t he extremity of
he line Quixarvyn lay upon his face,
With his right hand clenchcd upon a
which be had taken from his
'reast, and a bullet through his heart
The Strand Magazine