The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-11-22
His dominating vitality, his cell.
poise, his vain, vivid, ~impregnable con
ceit comDelIed admiration

Ills 0oiuiildtii TFltdtIty sQlSaSG6lf
poise, his vain, vivid, i~mpregnable con
ceit compelled admiration.
The golden afternoon was waning as
they passed from the more populous
part Of the residence portion of the
south side. Along the smooth, hard
road rang the horses hoofs. On the
left the lake rippled sapphirine and
slumbrous. Here and there on either
side were sweeps of br~opze-brown
grass and clover which would never
more be crimson. Ahead-like the u
ms of an old-world city-stretched that
graveyard in which are buried more
memories than in all the cemeteries Of
Chicago-the crumbling landmarks of
the worlds fair.
"Wait!" screamed Lila. "Wait!
Something is wrong!"
Wrong decidedly. The horse on the
left, swerving with fright at some OBJ
Ject-possibly the gaunt, rotting cara
vels of Columbus-had covered down,
had SHE'D sideways. In struggling up
the pole was thrown over his back.
Frantic with terror at his efforts to
free himself, he reared, heaved,
plunged.
"Give me the reins!" cried the girl.
"In hold them. You get out and lift
the pole. Quick"
There was no answer.
She looked hastily around. Dildine
sat stirless. His face was ghastly. His
heavy lower jaw had fallen. A bewil-
dered terror glared from his set eyes.
Quick" she cried again. "The
r~eins!"
They fell from his nerveless fingers.
At the same instant the maddened
beast freed itself from its unaccus-
toned incumbrance, scrambled to its
feet, and then-its furious fright COM
~municated to its mate-dashed wildly
southwark. Lila had grasped the reins
w straining at them with all the
vigor and tensity of her strong young
body. But it would have taken more
muscular arms than hers to have ar
rested that headuong flight. Then
just as her grip began to relax ever
SO sllghtly-an obstacle ahead in the
shape of a temporarily abandoned
buggy-brought a surge of fresh fear.
Dlld1ne saw it and. scrambled to his
feet. The next instant he had leaped.
he landed in a mass of dank leaves at
M roadside. And Lila-deserted-
still holding fast to the reins = sat
stone still, resolute, waiting for death.
They were close upon the buggy
now. Her arms seemed to be
wrenched from their sockets. She
shut her eyes. A prayer of her baby
hood days came to her lips.
Dear Cod" she began.
Then she was dimly conscious that
n speed was less rapid. The strain
on her wrists was not so agonizing.
She opened her eyes. Something black
was hanging from the head of the
horse on the left-was swaying back
and forth.
Fierce fear seized her for the first
time.
"You will be killed!". she tried to
shrek. "You are mad! Let go! You
will be killed." But she knew that no
word passed her dry lips.
Ten feet-ffteen-twenty!
Snorting, sweating, trembling, the
conquered beasts stooa still. And the
men who had risked his life to save
a woman's looked bewildered into that
woman's face.
"Lila!" he painted. "Li1a-is it
you?"
He was covered with dust. His
clothes were torn. His hands were
bleeding. She dropped to the ground
came and stood beside him. Her
lips quivered. Still she could not
speak.
IT was wandering over there" he
said, indicating the desolate fair
grounds. II often come here. I have
no home, you know" The simplicity
of the bitter confession hurt her. mo
home-and but few friends. T saw the
runaway. I did not dream you were
the m VINO was with you?
| Where is hep"
She found voice fast enough then
voice and indignant utterance.
"Burton Dildine was with me. And
he jumped to save himself-the
coward!"
"Hush! Here he is now!"
He came up, begrimed as to at
tire, solicitous, apologize, explana-
tory, but unhurt.
Lila turned from his s~elf-exculpa-
tory torrent of words with uncon-
ceaIed disgust.
"Will you take me home, Mr.. Clar-
endon?" she asked.
They had to walk quite a distance
to get a carriage. Lila noticed that
several times he WINGED and hesitated.
She noticed, too, that he use only his
left arm in helping her into the We
hicle. But it was o until-refusing
to come in and allow her father to
thank him-not indeed, until the next
day did she learn that in his desper-
ate struggle his right arm had been
broken.
That he should act as her fathers
secretary for some time to come was
obviously impossible. But one may
fancy that those days o. helplessness
which followed were the happiest Max
Clarendon had ever known.
When lie. was able to resume his
duties he found that Burton Dildine
was no longer a partner of John Wills
berg.
"Papa bought out his interest,"" Lila
explained. AMy father could not for
give him-and I would not receive
him."
The routine of life seemed to have
settled down into it's old groove. But
withal there was a difference. Clar-
endon was made much of " the mas
ter of the house, who daily came to
depend more and more upon him. It
was he who broke down the barriers
which pride had erected.