The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-11
CHAPTER vi.
A LETTER.

CHAPTER vi.
A LETTER.
Again my horse Jack showed his dev-
ilish temper. Urge him as might, he
would not place me beside the heads Of
the running horses. When at their
launches, he began falling back.
But saw that one Of the gallant po-
licemen, who have done yeoman service
so many times in similar cases Of peril,
was on tho other side of the frenzied
animals, had seized the bit Of the horse
nearest him and was fighting like a
tiger with the furious beast
But my interest centered in the mid
die aged woman, who was not only
struggling to leap from the side door Of
the carriage but i'll the act Of doing so.
"Save her, oh, Harold, save her, or
she will be killedP' called the daughter
in agony, still clinging with desperate
but waning strength to the loved form.
was directly beside the woman and,
extending my left hand, gave her shove
SO violent that she fell backward into
the lap Of the daughter, who flung her
arms about her mother and held her
mOtionless.
But in the act of leaning over to
make my push effective the Internal
Jack made quick shy to the right.
That brute knew that it was not his
master who was in the saddle and re-
scented it, As he swerved the girth
snapped, and out went upon the gravel
with force that it would seem ought
to have driven the breath of life from
my body.
And it came mighty near doing so.
There was a shock as if I had been
struck by an express train, and all be-
came darkness and oblivion
It was some two hours later that my
senses came back to me. I was lying on
cot in the hospital. with my head
bandaged and fierce pain fitting back
and forth down my left side. The ply
stefan who had examined my hurts was
gone, but one Of the sweet faced nurses
was seated in chair, looking kindly
into my face Meeting my inquiring
stare, she said in her low, soft voice:
"You had severe fall"
eyes. 1t is wonder was not killed.
Do you know whether have any bones
broken?'
1.-THE doctor said not. You are suffer-
ing from severe bruises and the shock. "
moved my limbs The sharp twinge
made me vince.
II would not do that" gently re-
monstrated my attendant 1T only adds
to your suffering and can do no good"
"Tell me how the people in the car
riage Jared. They were in great danger
at the time Twas flung from my horse
1.-THE policeman managed to stop the
carriage before anything serious occur
red. The coachman had both legs broken
and is in dangerous condition, but
neither the daughter nor her mother
suffered injury"
"Thank God for thatv' was my fer
vent exclamation as l settled back OH
my pillow.
My attendant gave me a soothing To-
ton, and soon sank into refreshing
slulnber, which lasted until the follow
ing morning.
By that time was astonished at my
own condition. The physician made an
other examination and pronounced me
free from serious injury.
II was afraid of fracture of your
left leg, but find it all right. You
have been pretty well bruised and will
be stiff and sore for several days, but
there is nothing beyond that. By tho
way, are you the possessor of remark
able degree of strength?''
flushed, but answered:
Eyes; I am said to be unusually
strong. Why do you ask2"
Your muscles are not abnormally
large, but there is something very Pc
culiar about them. They are literally as
hard as iron. never saw anything like
it."
II have devoted no more of my life to
exercise than do many young men, but
nature gave me great muscular power
from the first 80
II heard, Mr.. Westcott, that at your
club last week you nearly killed pro-
pugilist, knocking him off the
stage and half way across the room"
Eyes, that was cleverly done, though
it is I who say it, but there's a good
deal of humbug about these professional
pugilists. They acquire certain degree
Of skill, and their reputation is their
capital They indulge i'll excuses and
and go back as fast as they |
went forward. This fellow thought he |
had an easy thing in me and was care
less. lie gave an opening, and l took |
advantage Of it. That's all there was to |
it,
Nevertheless it was a marvellous |
performance. I should hate to run
against your fist, Mr.. Westcott.
"Thcrc is no danger of that" re-
with a laugh, turning in bed
with so little Inconvenience that i'm
sat upright. but did you at
tend the ladies who were in the car
riage?"
mo I am not their physician, hut I
they We're not injured,
though the elder would have leaped to
certain death had you not thrust her
back when she was in the act Of doing
30. The ladies'
The medical man paused, and I I'M
why. He did not know their
names and halted for me to prompt him.
But was silent, for ! was as ignorant
rs be.
There was unexpected good fortune
Ill round, excepting in the case of the
1rirer, who eeeins to have been pretty \
veil battered up" 81 ID