The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-07-10

x.ba start. ..Ef dat dar RoNy-Ahi
crnvds yer marsa. you DIES cuss BON
no, one i'll teeny cuss- one-She
nSter dat. She know whut hit means
an, dee DON'T nobody else IN dls
vorl' hear hit. In
II was out of the questlon-stll
l.. felt himself tempted. RoXane ana
lawson saved him. With n lohs'
.+aadv INT lawson sent his mount
f~st across the finish line. Then, as
the crowd went wild. he sprang doWh'
before she was still. flung hls arms
about her neck. and cried: tet fo"i
breath. old girl. You'll need 1t an
and more. before we are throuSn
The sun was almost down. N'Sn'
would come before the run OIL pu'
no soul thought of leaving the courst-
All waited for ii in throbbing. fever
ish Impotence. II was dt"N '"
when the two mares Went out to Try
the fnal issue. Both had recovered
wonderfully. Blue Bonnet. if no ION
oer ON edge. ran true and strong.
This time RoXane rated easily at me-
ouarter. The two riders might nave
exchanges condolences. but neither
had a thought for anything save VIII
ming.
After the first mile the racers ran
stride for stride. They swung 70 the
turns and swept the stretches IKE d
double team. Now one. now the other
drew a little away. only TO drop back
in before she had run %
wards. Blue Bonnet no longer champ
ed a foaming bit. RoNane's white
TANKS were stained with red. ana
reeked a little. Both We're emulouslN
full of running. They held their
heads low. mouths slightly open, ears
combatatively laid back. ready to say
aoe at the least Stacking Of reins.
1T is certain we can beat anything
else in the county. even if we can't
beat each other" Lawson called out.
as they swung into the first quarter
of the last mile.
Il have not given up. We won
split the purse" the parson called
back: Blue Bonnet is just really COM
ing to herself"
90 no. Hear that. RoXane." Law
son said, touching the white marc
lightly on the neck. Then he gave a
peculiarly whistling chirp.. RoNane
answered it By forging half a length
ahead. Blue Bonnet responded game
~ to the squirt. but could not quite
catch the flying leader. They came
to the quarter pole, locked, and ran
that way all through the next stretch.
At the half-mile post LawSon turned
slightly. and said over his shoulder:
you have fought a good fight, par
SON.! I'm almost persuaded to let you
VIM
The parson set his teeth and drove
his spurs up to the rowels. Blue Bon
net swerved visibly. AS dusk deepen
ed a fresh wind blew own the course,
cool and welcome to the hushed,
waiting crowd, doubly welcome to
the tired racers, fighting this desper-
ate duel of breath and stay. They tore
forward in the teeth of it, tense, pant
ing, laboring, with eyes afiame. The
last quarter post flashed past. AS they
came to the eighth a blanket might
have covered them. Again Lawson
whistled, shrill and keen. This time
Roxane staggered and rolled in her
gait as she tried to leap ahead. Blue
Bonnet held her seemingly safe--there
would be a dead heat-unless-
ParsOn Gentry set his teeth. If the
man in him ached for triumph, the
minister truly yearned for power unto
salvation over this superlative sinner.
Lawson Cooke would be no lukewarm
Christian. He would love God as he
loved a woman. with all his heart,
and mind, and soul. and strength.
The parson knew Isham had spoken
the truth. He had watched the boy
often lie almost prone upon Blue Bon
nets neck, and seem to drop winged
words in her ear. He had never
caught the words-until today he had
not known what they we're. He did
know that the mare always answered
them, electrically-if she would ar
VIZ thon now Shn must 1on,n first
Qicker than light all this flashed
upon him. Behind was the thought!
What would it matter! he parson
had never sworn since the day Of his
conversion. Profanity seemed to linn.
a sin peculiarly ~purposeless AMI alb
horrent. In this volcano: stress he
leaped to the belief that some Swear
ing might not be profane. Blue Hon-
net understood certain words ONLY as
a signal to do her desperate best.
Might he not use them in quite the
same way?
RoNane led by a head-he felt Blue
BOnnet's heart labOring heavily. The
finish was barely 80 Yards away. Ian
terms CLEANED either side Of it. The
dark massed thrOng was DreatnIesS.
silent, yet its unconscious STRINGS
made q soft confused sussurruS. The
pafSOn SnlNefGd faInllN-inttlltIvcly it
seemed he caught the reins Il thoucht
ti~hter, stretched furlhG. forward
and Kissed in Blue I;onmets ear.
On you! Double d--r Won, Go
on"
After that he knew nothing until
4 great sobbing shout struck i'm
and eager, joyous hands Dnlle, min,
the saddle and set him high upon
ment shoulders to bear him trim.
phantly about the course. The bear
ers were young felllN-: all. and Law