The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-15

trained for racing, while | was raw and
untried, waiting for my turn, that
came afterward, and she tripped along
ahead of me as lightly as rabbit that
had just been frightened from his bed.
"We cleared the gates and the mar
row lane, and presently struck into
the big road.
Are we going to Harmony? asked
| the White haired Master.
Eyes, MASTER
we shall have to ride, then.
cat that the Gray Mare, my sister,
| seemed to glide away from me. The
Son of Ben Ali had slapped her with
| his open hand. ] went after her with
| little rush that never moved the
| White-haired Master in his saddle.
felt my blood tingling. Whatever the
! Gray Mare, my sister, was doing,
knew l was going at only half speed,
| and | longed to show the White-haired
| Master what | could do.
II said as we galloped, My sister,
| this night you will see which of us
has the swiftest feet The answer she
made was loud snort, and again she
tried to glide away, but l kept my
muzzle at the Son of Ben Ali's knee.
"'Not now,' said the Son of Ben Ali.
wait! Wait till we cross the bridge
Are we riding or playing?' asked
the White-haired Master. Man, we'll
be too latei'
When we cross the bridge well
go, Master said the Son of Ben Ali.
yet the ground was firm and
springy, AMI the road was level. was
SO fretted that / bit at the Son Of Ben
Ais leg. You won't play when you
come to your journeys end, Grandson
Of Abdallah,' he said. | knew then that
we would go fast enough after a while,
and so ] fell back an little and settled
down to a swift, steady gallop. My
easy movements must have pleased
the Whitehaired Master, for he reach
ed forward and gave me a love lick,
saying, Good horsel'
so in little while we came to the
bridge, a small affair, but rickety. On
the other side the Son of Ben Ali
leaned forward a little, saying, Now,
AEasterl' The Gray Mare, my sister,
leaped away from me with a snort.
/ threw my head forward as the White
haired Master gave me the length of
the rein, and the Gray Mare, my sister.
soon found that she would not have the
road to herself.
within a quarter of mile / was
running with my nose at her flank, and
| kept it there. / could have run past
her, but / knew the White-haired Mas
ter would give the word for that, and
so / kept my place. Yet | could feel
that the Gray Mare, my sister, was try
ing her best to get away from me.
THE sound of our feet on the hard
road must have made terrible clatter.
could hear it flung back at us from
the woods on either side. Once, as we
were passing a house by the roadside,
pack of ours came trooping out at
us. This was my chance. The Gray
Mare, my sister, SHE'D while | ran
right through the pack, knocking them
right and left. The White-haired Mas
ter touched me again. saying, Good
horse!' and shook the reins just a little,
but it was enough. Before the dog I
had crippled could yelp twice / had
taken the road away from the Gray
Mare, my sister. | could hear her
coming behind me. / could hear the
Son of Ben Ali slap her, first with his
open hand and then with the slack of.
the bride rein,
"But it did no good. loved to listen
to the ciatter Of my feet on the hard
clay in the road. | was proud to feel
that | was not running at full speed. |
was proud to know that the White
haired Master had grown young again,
and to feel him holding the reins just
steady enough to catch me should /
chance to stumble / was proud to
feel him sitting in the saddle, balancing
himself to all my movements so as not
TO worry me with his weight.
Suddenly / felt him turn in the sad
die and look back. Then his firm hand
checked me, and / knew that the Gray
Mare, my sister, had been more than
matched. AS / settled down into a
steadier gallop the White-haired Mas
ter said;
Another race horse here, boy-the
greatest of all.
Yes, Master, replied the son of
Ben Ali, he is the grandson of Abdal-
lah'
1T was well that the White-haired
Master drew rein when he did, for we
still had two miles to go, and the Gray
Mare, my sister, was beginning to blow
a little But we rested ourselves by
going easily. Presently / saw freight
shining through the trees half a mile
ahead.
THAT'S the place' cried the White
haired Master.
''He leaned forward in the sadie, and
l took that for signal to go. 1t was a
level road, and / stretched myself out
for a run that would please and sur
prise the White-haired Master. As |
ran / wondered what the people at the |
fire would think as they heard us thun-
dering down the road.
Nobody knows to this day what |
they thought. We were upon them be- |
fore they could gather their wits about |
them. We were upon them before they |
couldget out of the way. The torches, |
glimmering through the trees, blinded |
the eyes of the White-haired Master, |
so that he drew rein a little too late to |
stop me near the group of men standing |
there. One of them, the son of the |
man called Old Grizzly. tried to dodge |