Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-02-26
Like Marius among the ruins Of
Carthage" suggested.

cda duOIu " laugh d. IL uOWs UuI
can tell you that just then it was no
laughing matter. / must have sat
there for more than an hour, thinking.
Then I realized it was time to be get
ting home, for, after all, even disap-
pointed lover must have supper ]
| thought sadly of what / should do. OF
course, | had to go; | could never see
! her again, never play the old general
at golf or billiards again. Well, it had
been very pleasant time while it last
ed. The next morning would witness
my departure-forever.
Il mounted the old bicycle, and set
off YEARLY homeward. Then sudden
resolve seized me. Once more l would
go by her house and cast a glance at
the roof that sheltered her. 1t was a
fine summer night and l should still
be home well before dark. l started,
first slowly, then, as the thought of my
folly came across me, faster and faster,
until l was riding good II or Is miles
to the hour-not such bad pace on one
of those old skyscrapers.
"Close to where old Trefusis lived
| there is a long hill, with sharp turn
near the bottom. 1t has now been
marked with a danger board, but at
that time there were but few of those
useful inventions about. In any case,
had there been a dozen. it is not likely
that | would have stopped for them.
was reckless that night, and to have
broken my leg-perhaps even my neck
would have rather pleased me than
otherwise. So at least l fancied as /
tucked my legs over the handle bars,
preparatory to a good rush down.
"She simply whizzed along. Never
before, or since, have l felt the air rush
past me with such velocity. had come
to the brow of the hill at a good pace,
and made no effort to check myself
| before the descent. There was nothing
for it but to keep cool and watch for
| the turn. | felt intoxicated, eXhilirated
to madness by the speed. l laughed
aloud and gave a shrill halloo of tri-
umph. l was nearly at the turn.
"A woman's scream for help rang out
as l approached the corner Like a
streak of lightning l shot round, the
| angle judged to a nicely, though
shaved stone at the edge of the grass
/
by a miracle. Fifty yards farther down
were two figures, man and woman
their backs toward me, running The
I woman was in front. TWAS chase
Il saw at once my me and held on
without a sound. The, bicycle was rae
ing along at close on forty miles an
hour, the rubber tires making no noise
on the hard ground. There was none
of your clanking chains in those days.
The girl-for I gould now see that it
was a girl-ran: nobly, but the rufian
was gaining upon her. In three sec
onds 1 should have caught him.
Suddenly IN a flash recognized the
girl. 1t was Dolly! The sight nerved
me to a frenzy, and, as my wheel
caught her pursuer in the back, utter
ed most blood curdling yell of tri-
umph.
The smash was terrific, and if l had
not put my legs over the handles
should have been killed to a certainty.
AS it was, came off remarkably well
with a bruise or two and rather cut
about the hands"
There was a pause. THAT was how
lit happened" concluded Jack. Shall
we adjourn to the drawing room?"
"She was netted, 1 suppose, by your
heroism?" l surmised as we rose.
well, you see, l had to carry her
home" exclaimed Jack, who seemed re-
luctant to finish the story. she had
tainted at the critical moment"
81 see. And how about the robber?"
Jack laughed. 81 left him there, and,
what was rather curious, | never saw
him-or the remains of my machine
either for that matter-again. The man
was only common tramp" he added,
as he thought that accounted for the
double disappearance.
Zone more question: | urged, as we
assembled the stairs. why was Miss
Trefusis-Mrs. Addison-walking in a
country lane alone in the evening, if
the question is not indiscreet?"
at is most indiscreet," said Jack
solemnly. "She has confided to me
since"-and he nudged me forcibly in
the ribs-''that she had thought it just
possible she might happen to meet me
again along that road"
Il have never allowed him to ride
a bicycle since" said Mrs. Addison,
with a smile, as we entered the draw
ing room.-Country Life Illustrated.