The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-06-01
The Lady Of
The Road,
Icopyright, 1aoo, By clinton Ross.l
By CLINTON ROSS.


weary day was over and the morrow
promised but another as weary. We
saw before us vacation and Arcadia.
Tommie said you could find it on
wheel, and finally he persuaded me.
My persuasion was complete the third
day out. To be sure, we had not yet
found Arcadia, but we had the flavor
Of some good health already and were
hopeful that when we least expected
1t we should cross the boundary. The
road had gained our spirits. We knew
already why gypsies persist in the gyp-
sying; why the most entertaining pages
in wilhelm Meister" and In '.Kenelm
Chillingly" are those where the he.
rOes take the road ''oyer the hills and
Ear away" why Prince Otto" is the
most delightful of Steyenson's stories
and Walking Tours the most ex-
quisite of his essays, although~I have
not heard that he rode a wheel We
recalled that the real charm of Pick
wick was in coaching and the footing
of horns and that Dick Turpin was
more hero than scamp.
tuned to simple. natural things, we
rode into that bosky wood which was
to be the scene of our first misadven-
ture. The road was smooth and prom
iseful. Through the branches at our
right was the glimmer of lake where
Tommie said we might loaf comfort
ably for an hour with our pipes. So
wa, lof of, ,6c,l |, le;5
went down by that shore, stretching
ourselves out for comfortable contem-
plation. An hour must have passed
when Tommie gripped my arm.
Look. Fletcher-there in the road"
l followed his eyes and saw by our
wheels-a bit of sunlight on her face
a most charming young woman who
was gowned in one of those walking
costumes that are now the most ad-
mirable achievements of the modiste.
She was young, say, and blond, and
she was smiling to herself and looking
our wheels over. One she raised and
before we even fancied twas in
the saddle as easily as any boy and
tearing around a curve and out Of our
ken.
well. I'll be hangedP' said Tommie.
Il hope she'll bring it back" said 1.
Particularly as it's my Wheel" said
Tommie. But in the road we could see
no trace of her. She had vanished.
Get ON yours and catch her." said
Tommie.
"oh, she'll bring it back. She
wasn't
"Yes, she was"-
"a gentleman of the road?"
NO; lady. Times have changed"
said Tommie ruefully. "Well, I'm aft
er her, Fletch."
And he, too, was around the curve on
my wheel, leaving me laughing and
mourning. But in five minutes he was
back, hot and irritable.
There are three forks of the road
just beyond. How in thunder am to
know which she took?"
TRY your luck"
'It's bad enough" said he 'T can't
afford another wheel this year"
Il Think" said l, that she's just
playing a trick"
''It's rather near theft" said Tom
mie. "Confound you, it wasn't your
machine!'
NO." said |. lighting cigarette.
WED better walk on She's gone.
The wheel is-well. perhaps it's pawn
ed by this time"
''You think you're funny" quoth
Tommie. ride on, and I'll walk"
NO" said |; well both walk. But
she was an Internally pretty
Thief"
Now, Tommie. you don't know
that" said |.
"Well," said he, haven't the evi-
dences of my sensesT
They sometimes lie," said 1, for /
saw he was not pleased. 1t wasn't my
wheel, and of course could philoso-
phize more easily than he. We took
the most hopeful turn at the three
roads. since our map refused to be ex-
plicit, and presently we came on rus
tic in boots.
did you see woman riding mans
wheelY"
81 swan" said the rustic.
ouOuiu EeIldEk, Sdlu 1Ou1llts
"She stole my Wheel"
You don't say" said theNrustic.
Where does this road leadT
"Nowheres," said the rustic.
Don't you live hereT asked Tom
mie.
"Since | was born, golly," said the
rustic.
''rhen where the deuce win this road
bring us tor asked impatiently.
THAT depends on where yer, goin."
remarked the rustic practically.
''Oh. Lordv' said Tommie. "I've no.
tion to pound this foolr'
The rustic looked frightened and re-
treated a step.
I'VE want to go anywhere-to find
the stolen Wheel" said l.
This ERE road goes to Arcadia"
said the rustic.
A female Dick Turpinl Arcadial
We opened our eyes.
''It's n queer name that Merivale
calls his place." said the rustic. Its
round that thar turn"
We left him, despairful of getting
anything more lucid from him. but it
appeared that at least we had reached
Arcadia. began to laugh. when Tom
mie said irritably, "Shut up!"
| About the turn we came on a road
leading from ours between high gate
posts. and there on grassy bank was
our lady of the road. l stepped back
embarrassed. She was laughing to
herself. Yes. she was undeniably pref