Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-11-25

Rose, I'm not q coward-except in
one thing. have been afraid you'd
say no, haven't given you the chance
to say yes. But you shall have it
now" Billy said, his face whitening
as he spoke. Don't answer offhand,
darling, but will you have me and all
l possess?"
Rose looked straight ahead, swal-
Lowing hard. They had turned into
the hill road, which ran through wood
land. high lying woodland upon top
o. the bluffs bordering the mill stream.
i New fallen leaves blew down 1t in
long drifts or waltzed airily in the
grasp Of elfin whirlwinds. There was
almost no underground The branch
e.s locked overhead into fretted roof,
| fccked here and there with russell or
red or yellow. The cushioning leaves
made progress almost soundless. Rose
smiled to think she was riding
through word of fairy. She had no
wish to speak, hardly even to think.
Il was enough to be alive there, with
the sunshine, the woodland scents and
the subtle delight of knowing herself
so loved.
Unconsciously she Stacked rein. At
almost the same instant 20 bird guns
volleyed little to the right. 1t was
SO warm the quail had left the stub
BILE for woodland feeding grounds. The
hunters, of course, had followed them
and had fired, not knowing riders
were at hand.
Half breath, Captain stood almost
upright; then a long sidewise plunge
took him to earth and sent him leap
ing as though hurled from a catapult
down the road Rose held her seat
marvelously, hardly shaking in the
saddle, though he reared a second time.
He had taken the bit in his teeth. She
was powerless to check him. All she
hoped for was to guide him and save
herself from death against tree
trunk. She did not look back. War
lock, she knew, was ten yards behind.
Billy Hope would do his best, but he
could never bring the black horse be-
side the brown. She could look only
to herself Her father and Esten were
too far off for help.
She leaned slightly forward, saying,
STEADY, old lad; steady" at the same
time giving the horse his head by an
inch. He answered by snorting an
grily, batting his ears viciously, set
ting his teeth harder on the bit and
stretching into a dead run. His eyes
were red and rolling; foam white lather
lines marked both counter and quar-
ter. Once or twice he gave a side
wise spring, as though trying to shake
off his rider. She answered the second
leap with a slashing cut in the flank.
AS Captain ran away from it she said
through set teeth:
"You are running to please yourself,
my fine fellow When it comes to stop
ping, you will have to please me-"
For all the leaf muff1e she knew that
the hoofs behind came nearer She
even fancied she caught through the
rush OF her own wild progress the
swish of catgut furiously piled. She
was so glad to be upon this road, al
most untraveled. Suppose she were in
the big road, with people scurrying out
on each side, screaming and shouting,
Suppose she came upon the Malones,
with the srays on edge and ready to
bolt at the wink OF an eyelash! The
thought had hardly formed when she
gave a low cry. The road turned
sharply. Fifty yards ahead she saw
Jim Malone driving the grays at a
slapping pace, but under slack rein.
Rose, take your foot from the STIR
rup!" Billy Hope shouted at her back
Warlock, running as he had never
run before, eyes glazing emulously,
nostrils wide, mighty muscles tense
with the ardor of the race was Tapped
upon Captain, head to flank. In three