Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-11-23
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MY hfAV duub, Nueu OICo IiSOl gus
off, he never once loses sight of the hounds,
so unless tho whole pack goes astray l
shall be all right"
Dolly Lacy was fascinating little wom-
an, full of pluck and daring of love and
gentleness. Men adored her as woman
and delighted in her as good comrade,
who never fettered them in the field or
fused at them if they smoked in her draw
ing room. One man diu more than adore
and delight in her, and that was Arthur
Talbot, a captain in the regiment of which
Dolly's husband was the colonel.
He betrayed himself to her one day, and
after that there was nothing for it but for
him to exchange. He had now been in In
dia for five years, and Dolly had been a
widow four and had never heard again
from Captain Talbot.
She was staying now with her uncle
and aunt, an old admiral and his wife,
and the reason she had volunteered to visit
them just now was this: She had seen that
four companies of the Red Rangers, under
the command of Major Talbot, were to ar
rive in plymouth in n trooper that was
due in about week, so she had come
down with her hunter, Tiger, and the
trooper had arrived, and still she had
Talbot.
There were dozens of men from the diff
ferent regiments in the garrison, and once
or twice she thought she saw him. Once
she could have sworn to the turn of his
head Once again she caught a tlGeting
vision of man who might have been Ar
thurs father, the likeness was so strong.
Oddly enough, this elderly likeness of her
life was interested in her.
who's that woman on the brown bayf"
he asked of another man.
1.-THE woman on tho brown bay?" re-
peatcd the local informant. "Sho is the
daughter or the neico or something of the
old admiral"
who's tho old admiralP" the elderly
likeness of Talbot persisted, while lady
with a high polished forehead who was
riding with him interposed
MY dear, what can it matter to you
who either the woman or her uncle is?
What a time they are finding the fox! 1
think / have had enough of this kind of
sport. l shall go home. You won't mind
coming, will you, dear?"
Il think not. I've not had run with
the DartmoOr hounds for many long
day. You can take Jenkins with you. L
shall follow"
They soon went away at racing speed.
Dolly, in the excitement of being well up
to hounds in a strange country, forgot the
elderly likeness to her lover, forgot every
thing, in fact save that Tiger was carry
ing her rippingly. A bit of bright emerald
green flashed into view. Tiger rose to it
as if it bad been n hurdle jumped short
and sank to his hind quarters in one Of
Dartmoor's most paralyzing boys.
Dolly slipped from her saddle into a
whirlpool of mud that presently touched
her to her waist. Tiger clambercd out and
was galloping wildly backward and for
ward, ilinging his head up and whinnying
with all his might to call attention to the
dire distress of the rider.
See that horse galloping by us?" the
local informant asked presently of the eld
erly likeness of Arthur Talbot. Hes
ridcrless, by love! The woman you were
asking me about must be begged"
He caught at Tigers rein as the latter
swooped by, and the little horse after n
kick and plunge or two, Jagged and hung
back in the opposite direction.
Let the horse lead us, " said the man
who looked like Arthur Talbot, but older.
For heavens sake, make haste man, or
we may be too late"
"Probably we are, " the other man said
coolly. Mrs. Lacy is a well pluclcd one.
She'd hold on to the last. When she slip
ped from Tiget, she was probably near
the finish"
Mrs. Lacy"
eyes, old Burroughs niece. Didn't 1
tell you she was pretty widow, rich and
free as air and as sweet as the freshest air
that blows?"
Tiger released, galloped back to where
he had left his mistress. She was up to her
shoulders now, half dead with terror. But
in a moment Arthur Talbot recognized
the sweet, panic stricken face and the tiny
hands that were beating the air in such a
futile, frantic fashion.
"Dolly!' he cried He was off his horse,
holding out his arms to her. She felt her
self drawn out from the embrace of the
grasping mud Saturated with mud as
she was, she flung her arms around his
neck as her feet reached firm ground and
with a little whimper of intense happiness
she sobbed out:
My own darling Arthur, I'm so cramp-
ed. Do hold me tight l thought you
were by me just now when you came to
the meet, but l was puzzled by the ugly
woman with the bony forehead who called
you dear I'll tell you, I'd willingly be
begged again tomorrow to be saved by
you, she said gayly. "You must come
home with me now and be introduced to
my uncle, Admiral Burroughs, and my
aunt"
1--WE have always been the best friends,
and my esteem for you"-
Best friends-esteem!" she inter
ruptod.
Il dare not feel or express any stronger
feeling There is barrier
"A barrier? No! My husband died four
years ago. There is no dshonor now in
your loving me. Nothing can come be.
tween u.s.
Excepting Mrs. Arthur Talbot" he
cut in confusedly. Dolly I was mad
with love for you, frightfully hard up,
and she and her dollars came in the
way
''Sho is the woman with the forehead 1
spoke of as bony."
"She is"
IL am sorry you pulled me out of the
bog, Major Talbot"
Then she waved her hand to him and
rode away, leaving him with the pleasing
reflection that he had spoiled the life of
woman who had been weak enough to
love and bu faithful to him through five