The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-09-15

and lopsided. Still, Idon't suppose that
cashier fellow can overtake even a ven
cradle ruin like this"
eff he Does" flashed Lily, "I1l change
Sleighs."
"Well, that's fair" gently asserted
Jasper, I'm you go. There isn't much
fuss and feathers about the old sleigh,
but it means business all the same"
Lily was furious at being treated like
a child. Besides, she had determined to
teach Jasper q lesson.
"Rather like Deacon Platt's sermons.
They always hang fire at the start" said
Jasper.
"Now, we'll go to Hawkesbury by the
river track. That fellow can see us COM
ing. All, / thought SO. He'll be down
here in a minute"
Lily looked rather frightened as the
chestnut anne along at a furious pace.
1t was evident that his driver resented
being made a fool of and that there
would be a scene as soon as he could get
his horse alongside Jasper's funereal
quadruped. But no sooner did that de-
jected animal touch the ice than he be-
Games different looking horse altogether.
His head went up and his tail out at the
ring of the chestnut's hoofs on the smooth
ice which connected the river with the
shore. Then Jasper, leaning back, wait
ed until the chestnut was within 20
yards and suddenly loosed the reins.
"What, w-what"- said Lily. "He's
running away, Jasper!"
eyes, he's doing his level BEST" said
Jasper as the bank seemed to spin by.
eff the chestnut catches us, you can have
his master"
Jasper kept the blacks head straight.
That was all he could do with the I'M
manageable beast. "You see, ILL.," he
explained, you've been fooling one of
us to the top of your bent. Now, you'll
just take the chances of war. If he col
lars us, l shall have to give in"
81 won't" said Lily stoutly, beginning
to realize the situation and how Jasper
had awakened to life under the influence
of jealousy. Nothing shall make me
m-m-marry him. I only drove with him
because it was SO dull down here. That
was ALL"
"Chestnut's coming up a Bit" said
Jasper cheerily, after another mile.
"Hope Baalbec will hold out"
Lily gazed a~nxiously at the animated
"ruin" in the shafts. The chestnut was
gaining. Then she looked at the black
horse. "C-c-c-couldn't you whip him?"
she asked.
81 could" said Jasper, ''but it's hard
ly fair. He isn't the one that should be
whipped for this"
Lily turned pale. You're very cruel,
Jasper, but I deserve it all. Nothing
shall make me marry him. I'd rather
go to the bottom of the river with you"
As they neared Hawkesbury the chest
nut steadily gained. Jasper had succeed
ed in pulling the old black back into his
gait and began to whistle. Suddenly he
turned pale.
"How fairs that fellow behind, Lil?"
he asked.
"Forty yards" said Lii in an agony.
Jasper spoke quite lightly. "Li1," he
said, "did you mean you'd rather go to
the bottom of the river with me than let
that fellow catch up?"
EYES," said Lii, without hesitation.
What do you mean, Jasper"
"This," said Jasper. II forgot the
spring thaw. Three hundred yards
ahead of us the rivers split right across.
Shall I pull upy'
Lily stood up in the sleigh and looked
round. She gave a little shudder and
laid her hand on Jasper's arm.
$50 on, Jasper" she said. s'F1l risk
it."
Jasper looked down for a moment
into her white face. "Il pull up if you
wish, Lii. Twill be too late directly"
"No, Jasper, I deserve it. Go on, and
and tiff it's to be goodby"-, She
kissed him.
"Hold tight" said Jasper, beginning
to pull steadily o. the old black.
Lii held tight to the side of the sleigh
in an agony of grief. Then he lifted the
black to the leap, gave one cruel slash
with the whip, there was a crash of
breaking ice as the sleigh struck on the
other side, a stagger from the black. A
c%onvulsive pull and they were over and
20 yards beyond the widening chasm,
with the frightened cashier pulling up
on its brink. When Lily recovered con-
sciousness, she found herself in the
manse parlors at Hawkesbury.
care you all right, Lil?" asked Jaspe.
cheerily.
She chung to him and hid her face in
his breast.
"Was it all a dream?"
Jasper took a plain gold ring from his
pocket.
ST don't think So" he said. 81 wired
down to Mr.. Watson yesterday to expect
us this afternoon. Now, Mrs. Watson,
she's all ready"
An hour later the funeral black
crawled lazily back. Half way they met
the cashier, his chestnut nearly foun-
dered and scarce able to stand.
"Thank Godv he cried as they came
in sight. 81 thought you were mad"
"N-no," said Jasper, touching up the
old black. "N-no. I was just giving my
wife a sleigh drive down to-
"sY-your wife,"
eyes," said Jasper, again stimulating
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