The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-11-15
He saw that her horses were running

face, though she was holding the reins
with all her strength, and had looked
| neither to the right nor the left as she
passed him If there was one thing
more than another that the Holdermans
prided themselves in, it was their
knowledge of good horse and splendid
horsemanship.
Isabel Hilton's love of horses and her
| daring in driving them had been one of
the first things that had won Clint s
admiration. Her control and courage
now appealed to him tremendously. His
own horses seemed to have felt the spir-
it of the runaway pair ahead, as they
flew along over the snow after them.
Clint knew that at any moment Isa-
bel s slight arms might lose the power to
hold those tense reins SO securely, and
the horses dash to one side and the
crash come, and there was nothing he
could do. On went the cutter ahead of
him, swaying to the left and the right,
but still keeping the road The bridge
across the Iowa river was just ahead.
Clint thought of the bridge with terror.
If the cutter swayed to one side, as it
was doing now, the crash would come
OIL entering.
He saw Isabel's strength tightening
on the reins and knew that she felt the
danger.
Her horses flew up the slight incline
to the bridge, and Clint braced his
nerves to withstand the shock. But TO
his amazement he saw that the horses
were slowing up and entering the bridge
with all the respect of well trained
horses, and by the time they were over
the frozen current below they were
walking as quietly as though they had
decided on that point as the end Of their
excitement.
Clint entered the bridge as Isabel
was leaving it. She drove out to one
side Of the road and waited for him to
come up to her "I'll let you go on
ahead Of me now if you want to, she
called out as he stopped.
"Look here" Clint called back, ibid
you think of those horses stopping at
the bridge that way, I'd like to know
"Yes, didn't you? I knew they might
not, but l thought they would if l could
keep them in the road. Didn't you
think Of them doing it?''
"Well, no, had something else to
think about" looking at her admiring.
ly.
Isabel's face flushed, but she looked
ut him smiling.
II wasn't afsAd as long as the road
was clear, but I should have lost all
courage if had seen team coming.
''Tallz of pluck" Clint said, driving
little nearer to her cutter. -"Isabel,
what did you think of last night? What
didyou think Of me anyway"
She drove out into the road ahead of
him and then looked back over her
shoulder, laughing. thought if you
had only waited half an hour longer
would have been IS. 1t is my birthday !!
today" And with that she touched her
ponies with the whip and kept we'll
ahead of him all the way to the village.
When they met again, it was before
the fire i'll the sitting room at the brick
house, where they had held the hours
the night before. But the contest witch
the judge had lost its seriousness.
Between them he sat. imperturbable,
rs he had sat the night before, but to-
night he was only an amusing barrier
and not serious obstruction. Love had
leaped the bounds and was free. It tri.
umphed in their eyes as they looked
across him and over him, smiling know
ingly at each other.
"We're going to have dance over at
our house Saturday week and an oyster
supper. 1t is going to be celebration
of great event in our family" Clint
with meaning gesture to
Isabel
whats the event you're celebrat.
ing?" the judge asked, looking over his
spectacles.
well, that's samething of secret
until tomorrow. I hope I can tell you
then. You must be sure and come.
We're going to have great time" :,
The judge looked at Isabel. "Do you
think we can go, my dear?'
Her checks were rosy "Why, yes; I
should think we could, father"
"Thank you, then. Well COME" tho
Judge said, leaning back in his chair
and looking at the ceiling. "And now
would you like to play that game of
chess we didn't have last night?'
IT, was nvidapt ba had M intont;on ~
giving up the field. Clint did not an.