Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-04-24
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U'oIX 49,
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NY WIhhIHM T. NICHOLS.
Copyright. 1895. by j. 3. Lpplncott Company.
there was the chance that we were
/ unprepared with suitable appliances.
AS briefly as possible she told Mrs.
Fowler what was in her mind.
Sure enough" cried the little wom-
an, II don't believe old DR.. Banks has
| anything of the sort. Well not risk
| it, anyway"
She ran into the house, returning in
| a moment with case under her arm.
Here's q set of instruments" said
she. Take 1t; my husband has an
other. Get back to Rodneytown as
quick as you can. If they decide to
wait for DR.. Fowler they can send word
over this evening. Oh, don't bother
about thanking me; if you ever marry
doctor, you'll be sure"
But Dorothy did not wait for the
rest of her sentence. A twitch of her
hand had set the bay in motion, and
she was half dozen yards down the
street, leaving Mrs. Fowler to ponder
over the obruptness of her departure.
Once the town was left behind, the
girl lost no time in calling upon her
nag's powers, and away he went as
readily as II he were fresh from his
stable, Mile after mile slipped behind
them. Soon the halfway house joined
the procession to the rear. 1t was
growing dusk now, and the air was
chilly. Her wrists were beginning
to ache under the pull of the lines, and
the thought came to her that perhaps
she stood in greater need than herhorse
of a breathing spell. She tried to pull
him in the next rise, but instead of
stacking his pace he increased it. In
| vain she tugged and sawed at the bit;
the bay was out of her control, and
knew itas we'll as she did. He was trot-
ting as she had never seen him trot be-
fore, with the blood of dozen genera
lions of picked roadsters coursing hot
! In his veins. Just ahead she made
out the dark mass of wood through
which the road passed. An instant
later she was flying along under the
tunnel-like arch where the boughs of
| the trees met above the Travelled way.
In the gloom of this passage she could
make out little of the road, though
she leaned from the buggy in the effort
to see what might be her course. Then
the wood was left behind, and about
her was the twilight of the open coun-
try, seeming almost bright by COM
parison with the tangle of shadows
through which she had sped. The bay,
untiring, but with feclls of foam show
ing here and there on his coat, was
trotting with the smooth precision of
machine. 1t was glorious to watch
him, to hear the sharp beat of his
hoofs. Powerless us she was, the ex-
hilaration of the race took possession
of her; she caught herself encourage
ing the animal with her voice; she
forgot the pain in her wrists, the very
real danger in which she was placed.
She thrilled with delight as she flashed
by wagon whose occupant had pru-
IDENTIFY driven into the ditch to afford
her clear right of way. He called
out n warning to hen, but, though she
heard his voice, the words were indis-
tinguishable.
AT last she was at the summit of the
ridge looking down upon the beach,
and her destinations was close at hand.
Again she sawed and tugged at the
lines. Slowly her efforts told; gradual
ly the bays speed decreased, until, as
he neared the farmhouse, she had him
well in hand. Mrs. Weston. one of her
boys, Mrs. Clark and two or three chill
dren were awaiting her ut the gate,
all enger to lenrn the result of her mis-
sion. DR.. Banks and were close be-
hind them, and, as the horse came to
q stop, we pushed our way to the side
of the buggy.
you've made wonderful time"
cried.
where's Fowler? Is he following
you?" asked Banks.
lie can't be here for six or eight
hours" she said, quietly. "But here
is case of Instruments"
Banks and l looked at each other,
appalled, by the news.
DIR. Fowler is in Trent" the girl
went on. He is expected home at mid
night. 1t is arranged that if you need
him then, u message shall be sent to
him."
With his sound hand Banks lifted
the case from the buggy.
This is serious, very" he said in my
ear. ave can't wait for him; it's out
of the question. Join me in your office
as quickly us you can"
| nodded and turned to assist Miss
Gray to the ground. Young Weston led
the horse away.
Come" said to the girl, "you must
have some supper. BY the looks of the
horse. MS well as the clock, can see
that you've taken nobody's dust on the
road. You must tell me all about it
after awhile"
II was in BASKERVILLE hardly 40 min
utes ago." said she, with look at her
watch. "But how is he? Have you
my more hope?"
''He is doing as well as anything hui
man could after such crushing and
hangling, but our opinion is not
changed"
She left me and walked away slowly
and dispiritedly. The reaction after
the excitement of her ride was already
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