The Red Cloud chief., 1896-11-13

@sG business I'm going to
- ~ telephone III for some
man TO come out and go riding with
US"
Her husband couldn't stay, hut he
would meet them ut the Saddle and
Cycle Cub ut 3 o'clock tor dinner,
then they conld NIL ride home TO.
gothcr Dy moonlight.
Thea the city guest came downstairs
and smiling apologized for being late,
~tactfulIy abiding To such a comforta.
bic bed, AMI 10 the soothing influence
OF rural stiffness.
When the young matron's husband,
who was the bluest.cyed, blon lost
haired, mildcst .mannered "oear" in
all OF natural history, hal gone. the
city guest played with the BABY IN the
the hammock and the Young mutron
excused herself to hold her rcgniar
morning session with the cook. But
IN tho early afternoon the domestic
machinery was RAINING smoothly, the
baby had been peram pulatcd OIL by a
freckled faced nurse VINO was ''keer.
ing stosdy con auy" 18th II private at
Fort Sheridan, the young mstr0u had
~iclephoned for Il man, aud the city
guest was putting on her bicyc.c
clothes.
"Won ride 70 Glencoe and meet
him there, aud t6en go on TO tr..oiuo.
The roads aren't very good yer, but Il,
will be ian If you uon't mind rough
riding. don't, for IT'S more cxclt.
ing"
So, after oiling up AMI pumping up
and Tightening up, they rollcd out of
tho lii:le town into the fresh, early
green OF the country, with the mead.
ows aud fields on Que side aud the lake
On the other.
The roads north OF the city lie more
or less near the lake. being, without
doubt, tine most attractive to wheel.
men, and on fine Sundays they are
traversed by many bicyclists. Daring
the week there are portions OF these
roads which are lonely and deserted.
While pedaling through q bit of woods,
With tue city guest looking into thom
on either side in search OF ~violets, tho
yonn; matron SAID, suddenly:
"N.y dear. isn't that a tramp lying
there by that fallen tree ahead OF ns?"
The other looked apprehens,vely at
the indicated bundle OF huttering tat.
tiers an discovered one most visible
among them-snch u red, red nosc-a
stnbbiy chin, three ragged black boots
and one ragged tan shoe.
"No," Sue said. hopping off in or.
der to prevent the collapse of her slow
moving wheel, cts two tramps, and
they're worse than they are IN the
iunny papers. Tncrol Iknrw you'd
80 over ii you didn't get OFT"
"Let's go back," TREMENDOUSLY sug.
gesteu the young matrou, pushing in
several loosened hsir.pins and raising
Eer wheel. Sho was nervous and n lit.
tie pa e, but she asked the city guest
II her nat WAS on straight. Tue city
guest WAS frightened, too. but she had
such a happy faculty of Disgusting 1t
that siIc had the reputation OF bong
unusually brave and ready IN an emer.
gencv.
"No, let's go on and make n rush
for It. We n pass 80 quickly they'll
mover know till we're gone"
But the passable part of tho road
was narrow Just where the wayfarers
we're taxing u siesra, aud would per.
init OF only II girl passing at a time.
SO the plan seemed hardly feasible, for
neither OF tho riders could mako up
her mind to go last.
ust then there was q movement OF
the t~atters, boots aud nose. One of
the men rose gu his elbow and stared.
HIS nose was less red than that OF the
other, but his chm was more stuoo!y.
Nov, the city guest had IA secret pas.
sion Tor all things histrionlc, and shc
noticed with a thrill of quick pleasure
that this goddess man wore u bright
handkerchief about mis- neck. This
Il artistic touch instantly trans.
formed him from a common tramp To
something akin TO the stage brIgaud,
while the background of trees and
grass md yellow road disappaariug
below the crest OF n little hill in the
distance made as effective u setting AS
sue had ever seen. Her fear was lost
IN this new emotion and she laughed.
exclaim,ng under her breath to her
~cornpanIon:
sob, isn't it picturesquev
Toe Young matron turned her heal
aud looked at the city guests face,
her dread rising to terror wnen she
saw the radiant exuressIon 1t wore.
Suddenly she ms seized with the lear.
fol conviction that lear mad tenn.
porariIy unhlnye her friends mind,
leaving her in the hands of u maniac
and OF two Inscriptions villains. Sne
hlu her Il IN her hands and sunk
down bv the now forgotten bicycle
AMI wept quietly till sue heard the
voice OF her poor dersuged friend
mingled in the most cordial converse
with those OF the two men |: tnen she
lifted her head and Sazed at them
sghas:.
Tue three were ex changing friendly
Scmarks about the weather, after
which they a@iosbly discussed hi.