, 1898-08-18

the feminine portion Of the company as
| she stood for a brief second beside her
| wheel. Self possessed but modest, in
the cool green of her costume she ap-
peared a part of the natural picture
/ which surrounded her. A bed of daffo-
| dis grew close to her feet, and she
stopped and gathered n bunch of the
brave yellow blossoms and fastened
them securely at her belt.
Then, with a merry laugh and a grace
full toss of the head toward Davis and
Stanton, at the quick ring of a bicycle
bell, the signal for starting, declining the
proffered assistance of the competitors,
| she mounted her wheel and sped quick
ly down the road. She had nearly reach
ed the first corner when, at a second
| signal, the two men were away. A
third ring, and the merry company
mounted, following as rapidly as posi-
BILE the two flying contestants.
what a glorious spin!' thought
Meta, us the swift motion sent the ex
ultant blood leaping through every az
terry, and every fiber of her body thrilled
with the exuberant joy of living.
Faster and faster she flew along, un-
til her efforts seemed involuntary. To
herself she seemed impalpable and en-
lowed with a freedom as perfect as the
breeze which famed her crimson cheek
and tenderly lifted the curls about her
face.
So completely did natures influence
enthrall her that no thought of the ride,
its purpose or the two men who were
speeding so closely behind her entered
her mind until a shout informed her of
the fact that Davis vas ahead of Stan
ton and rapidly gaining OH her. Then,
for which she had previously so longed
the knowledge that one of these men
was dearer to her than the other. Pure,
tender and sweet, yet full of fear it
came, causing a quick gasping for
breath and a deepening flush upon the
cheeks as she realized hat perhaps the
knowledge came too late, and that if
Harry Davis won the race the happiness
of two lives must certainly be wrecked.
With q voiceless prayer more fervent
than any she had ever breathed before,
she redoubled her own efforts to reach
the spring as she heard the gentle whiz-
zing of q wheel behind her. "Philip,
Philip, Philip" appealingly %resounded
through her brain like u human voice.
In agony she clutched more firmly the
handle bars, bent her body forward as
she exerted every muscle to the utter
most, and pedaled with the greatest
rapidity in her determination to win
the goal ahead of Davis. If she succeed
ed, there was one more chance FOR Stan
ton to win by drawing lots.
But the spring was just in sight and
now so near that she fancied she could
hear the crystal water as it tinkled soft.
ly into its rocky basin. If Davis should
winl
"Oh. no! Not thatI' she whispered.
She was trembling with excitement.
A sudden mist clouded her sight, Il
rumbling in her ears partially deafened
her, when-oh, thank God, the goal
was reached! Then there was a faroif
shout, tho heavy breathing of a man
beside her. q gentle touch nnon her
arm, and next
A sense of dizziness and the recollec-
tion of falling from her wheel came to
her as she opened her eyes and saw
not Davis, but Philip Stanton, bending
over her with tender solicitude and ut
tering loving ordinations. - Emma
Platt Guyton in Waverly Magazine.