Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-10

Copyright, 1899. by S. s. Mcclure Co)
And now another shout from behind
reached us. Faster and faster came the
pursuing feet while the great hulk before
us worked its starting joints as though
lightning itself we're playing fast and loose
inslde them. Great clods OF snow dug up
by clatterng shoes rained thickly about us
and struck upon our smarting cheeks. "The
shoes themselves will be coming next l
groaned, crouchng low as my teeth grated
upon the sand left from a mouthful of the
snow and ice.
Would he, could he make it? Nearer,
nearer yet those feet seemed coming!
Would bullets be whistlng next in the frooty
hail about us? "Cling to my arm!" cried
IN my companions ear and then | half rose
10 my feet and looked behind, only to be
brought down upon pair Of bruised knees
as our racing steed took a small boulder at
single leap.
zone more such trick and we are lost"
muttercd between my teeth, and then we
struck smoother track and | climbed upon
the seat again. to meet as ] did - glance
from Miss Brandon's dark eyes, shining and
dilating in the moonlight, until | lost all
reason and strange visions seized upon me.
Miss Brandon" ! whispered, and my
voice sounded far off to my own hearing
''if you were married, IL you had husband
60 protect YOU you need not fear those men
behlnd?"
She sighed impatiently. "Of course not"
she said hurricdy. But there's no use
talking about it now for they'll catch us
oh, they will surely catch us and she clung
to me as a louder shout reached us.
Listen to me-" | whispered. taking her
cold hands in mine boldly now, for that
meant her well God be my witness. "a
week from now you will be free, you will
need no ones aid but tonight but now, let
me protect you. For few short hours be
my wife in the sight Ct the law and | swear
you shall be to me young and reverenced
sister" and involultarily | barred my head
before her.
All, if | could have spoken in my own
name and language then, but what figure
! must have cut. She might have laughed
aloud as I crouched before her disguised and
dishgured as I was, but she only shrank
from me. Marry you!" she gasped. Are
you not married already, then? Oh, l was
sure that you were married. What must you
think of me, what must you!'
a. | have been married." ! stammered
plying her so in her shame and loneliness
that | made nothing of my continued perfidy.
"But my wife is deed; you have no need
to fear me. Remember how young you
seem to me. Look up and see that you can
trust me-"
As | pleaded with her the sleigh plunged
on at the heels of that dreadful animal.
Down and down the frightful grade we went,
but he made nothing of it, Half the time
we seemed perched upon his very launches.
Slowly the girl lifted her bowed head and
timidy she looked at meat what she could
see of me-and how | blessed these hated
bandages. Had she seen that / was young,
that every pulse was tngling with devo-
tion beyond the power of reasoning age to
feel, who can tell what might have fol-
lowed. But as it was something in the
swollen eye she studied seemed to bring
comfort to her heart. She smiled, and al
though at that moment we took a stone the
size of dinner table under our left runner
never felt the dull shock.
at would be awfully funny" she faltered.
81 hate to lose all my money before I've
even had diamond necklace, or been
abroad acknowledgements? %
"And afterwards" / cried with my head
whrling rapidly, though my voice sounded
paternal and reassuring still, afterwards
the law which has helped me to preserve for
you your property shall give back your
liberty and may heaven bless you for your
sweet trust in me-"
And now CO. old horse, go! Go. CO. And
may your yet with Cousin John" upon
your back canter, into the very heart OF
Paradise. Halfstanding, half-sitting, eau
tiously did | play the whip. With line and
voice | sought to guide his headong charge;
every nerve on fire. every pulse throbbing,
wild with anxiety lest one false step waken
me from my dream of bliss.
And now lights from countless gambling
dens, lights from sick rooms and the lights
from distant streets came plainly to us. Go,
go. And go he did, with great lunges OF his
awkward legs and now and then threaten
ing snort which told of straining lungs
gasping forth vigorous protest, or reproach.
Half a mile? Only a quarter now? and still
those gallopng feet behind!
Oh for dark alley into which we might
plunge! See! There it yawns before us
Now, one burst of speed and we go crashing
through heap of rubbish, and, breatheSs
and painting, the knees of the horse bending
beneath him, we spring out into a dark and
loathsome alley, and with God bless thee
old nag" and pat on his reeking fanks,
flung coin into the face of a man who
started up from a doorstep and cried, "Oats
for that horse and a drink for YOURSELF"
And then what a chase began! chase
Joined in by every homeless dog and vagrant
cat we started from their unclean lairs
while drunken reveers hailed us with coarse
jests as we flashed across their paths and
twice fancied that the cleaning muzzle Of
a tirearm threatened us from some dark re-
treat. But so rapid was our flight as / half
led half-carried, my trembling companion
through the horrd tange we must have
seemed to all we met as Elusive as the shift
ing night shades now and again trembling
for second between them and the moons
pale light. At last the air about us began