Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-07-15
MARSTON'S TRIUMPH.

"Ten to one on Jim Garside for the
College Cup and county championship
Any takers? Not onel"
And it wanted but two days to that
of the great racel believe | clenched
my fists; not until that excited mo-
ment, In the crowded dressing room
had l thoroughly realized that Jim
was supreme favorite-the hero of the
occasion in all respects He had Just
won the first trial spin-beaten me by
clear 100 yards, and the rest by any
thing under half a mile. Not only
that; with all eyes upon him, he stood
staring out Of the window, as If think
Ing Of something even more vital than
the coming much-discussed struggle.
| could guess what.
"Well haven't you heard?" some one
struck in, enviously. "Oh. it's no
rumor Some one-I won't say who
overhead Ella as good as promise to
-er-marry the winner. Worth win
ming, eh? There's going to be a rare
struggled"
Jim started and flushed. That. and
the gust of significant laughter, seemed
to suffocate me. Hardly knowing what
l intended to do, l walked out into the
quadrangle. She had said that! Jlm's
retriever came bounding up. I gave it
vicious kick, and next instant jim
was beside me- gripping my arm.
will, don't you do that again! It
was brutal Why, whatever has come
over you?"
This almost in q whisper l must
have flung away, as he tried to link my
arm, in his usual loving, impetuous
fashion. A mere month before it
would have seemed incredible, but in
a moment was quivering from head to
foot with jealous heat. Not exactly
a new sensation, but up to now 1 had
pooh-poohed it as unnatural.
Why, Jim, big-hearted and blg-bodled
Jim, with nature as sweet and for
giving as any woman's, had drawn me
to him from the very day of his enter
Ing the college, two years before; ever
since then we had been regarded as in
separables, and it was perfectly true
that l could never bear to contemplate
a future day when his way might
branch out of mine. Something had
come between us. The race? Yes; the
race-and Ellai We, two, 1t was clear,
had suddenly realized that Ella, the
preceptor's daughter, was no longer a
romp, but that the indescribable con-
seriousness of new Womanhood had been
for some time creeping into those
pansy-llke eyes.
That was it! and now-well. neither
had spoken of 1t, and neither could say
as yet that he had any basis for his
hopes; but the inevitable shadow Of
rivalry was there, all the same. And
when Jim asked that, as If dreading to
hear the answer, the situation merged
into tragedy at one bound. The mad
dest, wickedest thought had leaped into
my brain.
mo liesl Did she-did she say those
words?" l asked, going close, and he
stared hard and then whitened to the
lips. That was enough. "She did
Very good. To whom?" l went on,
huskily. 81 will know To whom?"
A queer pause. Jim seemed to be
fighting with some emctlon. He looked
away, his lips twltching. "In not
answer that" he said, at length. An
other pause. Something might have
happened then and there, but he sud-
denly caught at my arm again. "Win,
dontl" he whispered. "For heavens
sake, don't let the fellows know! Come
Indoors and we-we'll talk 1t all over.n
After it's all settled" l sneered.
Bah! You'll win the race-and every
ether race, will you? Don't make too
certaini" and l walked off, leaving him
standing like one transfxed. A word
perhaps, would have ended 1t then. but
neither OF us could say it. The early
spring sun was shining, and yet the
world seemed to have grown gray OF
a sudden.
l must have walked aimlessly down
the road to the town for a time. hear,
ing and seeing nothing; and then nv
heart gave a great jump. Coming
slowly toward me was the daintiest
figure in grey tweed that ever trod this
earth Ella herself, carrying some
books, and so near that 1t was impos.
sible to pretend not having seen her.
/ stood there stupidity, as her languid
laugh rippled out. There was Just
trace, l think. of the eoquette in Elias
nature-but only trace.
"Oh, who won? l saw you all dart
out Of the wood, like so many sprites!
but-goodness, how bad he looksl
Really, Mr.. Marston, that pair OF gloves
l wagered over the race"
Il should cry OFF, If were you" I
put in, looking doggedly past her. Then
something sprang to my lips thai
would not be kept back. "PerharN n
have not the--er-the incentive to try
that some one else may possess. Oh
we're not all blindi"
It was out. Ella stood a minute. hen
eyes widening; then the next thing
knew was that she had swept on with.
Beauty Ia blood Deep.