Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-11-04


out his shoes. ready for the starters
signal Qsixsrvyn's guards dropped
she horses bride. and Sergeant John.
who stood between the two COMPETE
tors, drew a pistol from his belt 10 give
the signal
intense. Not a sound was heard In
the still morning air. but all down the
double lines were faces fixed intently
on the two competitors Feversha IN
and the Major, with glasses at their
eyes sat motionless as statues Even
the condemned men. forgetful Of their
own approaching doom, stretched their
neeks 70 catch glimpse of the strange
contest on which depended life and
death for two Of their companions
The Sergeant raised his pistol. The
report rang out
AT the same instant horse and man
shot out together from the mark. At
first the runner, practiced in flying
from the start. and having less mo-
mentum 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
was seen to be decreasing; the horse
was gsining-slowly at first, but gam
ing surely, stride by stride. When
half the eouse was covered the horse
had drawn up le,el-and then came
such race as had never yet been seem
For 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 fierce
gallop. with the rider standing in the
stirrups. And now the goal was only
fifty yards away; but the gazers drew
deep breath as they saw that now
the horse was gaining-was drawing
out in front For one instant il seemed
that all was over; the next. to their
Amusement, they were conscious that
the horse was failing. Then they saw
a gallant sight; they saw the runner
nerve himself 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 discipline,
q frantic cheer broke forth along the
line. Even Feversham himself smiled
grimly, as one who, though he had just
lost bet. had gained it's full equiva-
lent in pleasure bic excitement
The winner, who had fallen painting
and exhausted, was raised INTO a sitting
posture by two troopers, one of whom
poured a draught Of brandy down his
throat. The spirit almost instantly re-
vived him, and in 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 an almost imperceptible smile;
but it was not this, but something in
his look which the other could not
have defined, which struck him back
ward like 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 little. he put his mouth
close to Quixarvyn's ear:
"You pulled that horser' he said.
Quixarvyn looked at him, but an
swered not word.
"You let me wip," the other went on,
his voice breaking. "For her sake you
did it."
Quixarvyn drove his nails into his
palms; he had acted, he was acting, not
without bitter cost.
snake her happy" he said. briefly.
AS he spoke he turned away and
strobe swiftly to his position at the
head of the line of prisoners, before
whom the firing party was again
drawn up.
Dare turned his back upon the scene
and thrust his fingers in his ears.
Nevertheless, he could still hear with
horrible distinctness the Sergeant'a
loud, clear voice, with An interval be.
tween the words
Ready
PRESENT.
"FireI''
Almost as the word was given came
the crash of the report. Moved by an
impulse which he could not conquer he
| turned around with shudder. The
soldiers were lowering their smoking
muskets, and thick white cloud hung
above the line of prisoners stretched
upon the ground. At the extremity Of
the line Quixarvyn lay upon his face
with his right hand clenched upon a
portrait which he had taken from his
breast and a hullet throurh his heart