Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-07-01

though | VOW | nave not earned il. Shall
we push on a little? The trio ahead will
be out OF sight in a minute or two"
And he had no intention of being tied to
his two present companions throughout the
ride.
They soon came up with the other three,
II presently the park gates were passed,
and after a short bit of road came a broad
stretch of heath.
Now" said Colonel Beauregard, "for q
gallopy'
In the instant that he spoke, Valerie gave
Zoe the rein, md away went the Arab,
with n wild snort of delight. In two min
utes the fiect-footed animal, carrying but
n feather-weight, had distanced her late
companions; but Princes long stride gained
quickly on her, and halfway across the
heath Max Beauregard rode up to Valerie's
side.
The girl turned n bright look to him, and
met In his eyes something like a flash Of
triumph, and the wild-rose flush on her
cheek deepened; the breath came fast
through her parted lips, sky and land
seemed but n haze; she only heard the thud
of the horses hoofs on the velvetturf; only
knew that Max was with her-MRX alone
riding on-on THROUGH the summer air
and the glorious sunliGh., p-drr the blue
sky-on- -on--fastcr, fagter-tril her breath
came in a sobbing gasp, and her brain
was growing dizzy; and then Max Beaure-
gard bent toward her, sIelking low, but
decidedly:
valerie, draw rein, you are breathed-
draw rein!'
She was well-nigh spent, less with the
ride than the mental agitation; but she had
strength enough to pull the mare in n lit
tie, not to stop her. Beauregard grasped
| the rein with his right hand, checking
Prince with his left, and Zoe slackened,
stopped dead. with heaving TANKS and
quiyering limbs, but not half tanned yet.
Valerie could not speak; her swift, half.
yelled glance said ''Thanks!' She sat
dropping, painting. Max watched her a
minute in silence, pattins Xoe's glossy
neck, not trusting himself just yet, for the
blood was leaping like fire through his
veins, and passionate words quivered on
his lips; but the self-mastery of years did
not utterly fail him now, and in n moment
or two he moved his hand from Zoe's neck
to her riders hand.
poor childr" he said, tenderly; "it was
my fault, / ought 10 nave stopped you be-
fore"
"No-no!' If he had only known that il
was his fault, though not as he meant; il
he had only known how every fibre of hel
frame vibrated to his touch! "I-lwanted
to go ont was a glorious rider'
"Ay," he said, under his breath; and his
dark eyes flashed; for n second his CLASP
closed over the little hand on which his
had rested; but as quickly relaxed, and he
paused, setting his teeth close; while Va
lerie, who had started, and changed color
turned to look behind her, though her eyes
were blinded, and she could see nothing
B~eauregard turned, too.
"The others are close behind now," HI
said, "shall we wait for them'"
He spoke almost coldly: Valerie simp
ly wheeled her horse, and rode back TOWARD
the advancing party, and Beauregard fol
lowed suit.
"Well, your two horses have got wingsP
cried Mrs. Dudley, addressing both, aDC
Max said, smiling:
"They IRE both Of them ready for anoth
err gallsp, and double the distance. Zoe II
q srlendid slayer, and next to Prince, tn
~fieetest horse in the stable; and then Va
lerie weighs about as much as thistle
down."
brain and all?" asked Valerie, wicked
ly. They were all riding on now at u walk
ing pace, Beauregard on the girls RICH
hand.
"Nay," he answered, gravely; II onl.
spoke OF physical weight"
She laughed.
did your But it would be equally ap
the other way, wouldn't it,"
'"That comparison is yours-not minel
said B~eauregard, drily.
Thanks" was the retort, 'for a nea
application of the old proverb about tn
cap and the fit"
And she turned, laughingly, to speak t
Lord Westbrook on her other side. Sh
knew she had forced a meaning never il
tended. Max Beauregard was far to
chivalrous for such a gibe; she knew sh
had vexed and even wounded him; but h
should not think she was trying to wi
him; yielding sometimes, as she had yiclt
ed a little while ago, unconsciously, III
evitably, to his power over her, she recoile
afterward, and in a terror of being misir
terpreted, rebuffed him in some such man
ner as this, stung 30 recklessness by the
yer bitterness of her own suffering.
She had been startled, too, by the loo
that met hers when Max Beauregard frs
rode up to her; his close clasp of her han
later, and sudden release of it, as If, SUI
rendering himself for one second to
warmer feeling for her, he had condemne
the instinct the next Was it q blendin