The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-12-20
leave-taking, and went away with q
manne.: which seemed sullen, but was
merely the cloak of deSnair.

QauuS CldSptu DenlHQ uer uedu-I0me1n-
bering the remorse she stroye to stif1e,
the panied look upon his countenance,
saw before her as plainly as though in
the flesh those two lovers of hers. One
so slender, grave, reticent, unassertive
the other so strong, massive, forid,
powerful. What man to have for
life defender-for pillar of granite
upon which to lean-Burton Dildine.
No wonder he had spoken of this timid
STRIPPING with disdain. Her thoughts
recurred to her the next day, asst
ting beside Dildine, in his high rig, be-
hind spirited horses-they whirled
southwark on Michigan avenue.
''Aren't we going rather fast?" she
asked.
He looked down upon her with eyes Of
tender reproach.
.You," significantly, "are not afraid
with me?"
81 am never afraid" she returned,
"but don't like the thought of taking
unnecessary risks. Supposing some
thing should break!"
even so-you could trust me-" he
declared, confidently.
His dominating vitality, his self
poise, his vain, vivid, impregnable 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 bronze-brown
grass and clover which would never
more be crimson. Ahead-like the ru-
ins 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
yels 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.
"I'll hold them. You get out and lift
the pole. Quick"
1 There was no answer.
/ She looked hastily around. Dildine
sat stirless. His face was CHASTITY. His
heavy lower jaw had fallen. A bewil-
dered terror glared from his set eyes.
/ "Quick!" she cried again. "The
reins!"
They fell from his nerveless fingers
At the same instant the maddened
beast freed itself from its unaccus
i toned incumbrance, scrambled to its
: feet, and then--its furious fright com
municated to it's mate-dashed wildly
southwark. Lila had grasped the reins
was straining at them with all th'
vigor and tensity of her strong young
body. But it would have taken NOR.
muscular arms than hers to have ar
rested that headaong fight. Then
just as her grip began to relax evel
so slightly-an obstacle ahead in thu
. shape of temporarily abandoned
buggy-brought surge of fresh fear
, Did ne saw it and scrambled to hi
feet. The next instant he had leaped
He landed in mass of dank leaves a
. the roadside. And Lila-deserted-
} still <olding fast to the reins = sa
stone still, resolute, waiting for death
s They were close upon the bugg
: now. Her arms seemed to b
: wrenched from their sockets. Sh
slut her eyes. A prayer of her baby
r hood days came to her lips.
Dear God" she began.
Then she was dimly conscious tha
tha speed was less r .pid. The strai
| on her wrists was Tot SO agonizint
! She opened her eyes Something blac
r was hanging from the head of til
4 horse on the left-was swaying bac
z and forth.
r Fierce fear seized her for the fir.
$ time.
Il .You will be killed." she tried |
| shrek. "You are mad! Let go! 70
will be killed." But she knew that \
word passed her dry lips.
e Ten feet-fifteen-twenty!
: Snorting, sweating, trembling, tt
r conquered beasts stooa still. And tf
= men who had risked his life to sa,
t a woman's looked bewildered into tn;
woman.s face.
"Lila!' he painted. "Lila-is
n you?"
J, He was covered with dust. Il
n clothes were torn. His hands WEI
= bleeding. She dropped to the grouI
: came and stood beside him. HI
e lips quiyered. Still she could NJ
/ speak.
a II was wandering over there
5 said, indicating tho desolate ia
q grounds. II often come here. I ha'
;. no home, you know" The simplici'
8 of tae bitter confession hurt her. =
home-and but few friends. saw Il
t runaway. ! did not dream you we
:. the woman. VINO was with yo'
ID Whnrn iS no 0's