The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-03
Our Daily Short Stories
HOW LEILA EN-
TERED HER CLAIM.
copyright. 1901. by Authors syndicate.)
BY FRANK H. SWEET.

Ill he disappeared. She did not feel
able to walk any farther, so she sat
down upon a stone to consider. Gaines
Vile was six miles away, her home
nearly ten, and her ankle was growing
worse. Clearly there was nothing to
do but wait for some chance passer to
come to her assistance.
An hour went by, then she heard the
faint tap, tap of hoof beats in the dis
| lance. Presently a gray horse APP
peared, and behind him was Dick, APP
parently being led by the rider of the
gray. As they appeared, she recog-
nized her brother-in-law's pillow horse,
and the rider was, of course, after the
very land she wanted. Her heart
sank.
Il suppose this is your horse" The
voice was rich and musical, and as the
stranger lifted his hat she noticed that
his face was strong and scholarly. Il
met him down the road, and thought
that he had run away. All, you are
hurt" as she essayed to step forward,
Here, let me assist you" He sprang
from his horse, throwing the bride of
the black over his arm as he did so.
MY gray will stand all right. I am
afraid his owner thought / was poor
horseman, and so gave me steed that
was safe. Easy, now; lean on me-"
He assisted her to the saddle and
then examined the girths and bride to
see that everything was secure"
do you think you are able to go
alone?" he asked.
ooh. certainly. The bushes broke
| my fall. think that my ankle will be
all right by tomorrow"
well, then, will not try to keep UP
with you My horse is very deliberate
in his movements, and 1 doubt if
reach town before dark. Goodbye"
AS she rode on, Lelia's emotions We're
| curious mixture of exultation and
| dismay. She could be first to enter a
claim to the land, but in doing so she
almost felt that she would be taking
an unfair advantage of the man who
had come to her assistance. At times
she thought of stopping and waiting
| Tor him to come up, and of explaining
everything, and offering him a fair
race. Then she would think of her
| mother, and of her brother-in -law, and
| of the German who had said that he
would like her to have the land. OF
| course she had a better right to it than
this stranger; and of course it would
| be the hight of folly for her to throw
away any of her advantage.
But she could not quite satisfy her.
self; and the thought of the stranger
Jogging along on the old pillow horse
accompanied her into town, and into
the land office, and grew stronger
| when she knew that the homestead was
securely in her possession.
Early the next morning she started
on her return trip, and soon after
leaving town overlook the old gray
horse and his rider, moving slowlS
back toward home.
Il am glad to see you looking SC
we'll ~ said
in her horse in answer to his saluta.
ton. Il hope your adventure of yes.
terday caused you no Inconvenience
| Very little, thanks to you"
They rode on for some minutes IL
silence, then Mr.. Wayne looked al
her humorously.
If you are not in a hurry" he said
L will do my best to make the ole
gray keep up
Il have the day before me- and will
be glad to have company.
| Thank you" Then: Did you en-.
ter your claim all right?"
Leila flushed and looked at him in.
| quiringly. He laughed frankly
II recognized your horse as one
had seen in Mr.. Chords stable. ant
put one thing and another together
| But don't think l harbor the least IL
feeling toward the old gray" he wen
! on, quickly, patting the animal as hi
spoke. He and / are getting on ia.
mously together. And really and trul,
and honestly, Miss"
"Staunton."
THANK you-Miss Staunton, I am 8
thousand times obliged to you for OBJ.
tanning that land. You see, my brother
was wild about my getting 1t, and hi:
| enthusiasm was so contagious l never
paused to consider the consequences
Now, am a lawyer. and / think
see good opportunity down here fol
me to practice my profession. Blu
! suppose I had buried myself out or
that homestead? Why, it would hav,
been the extinguishing of both the pro
fession and myself. Not but what 4
is fine piece of land" hastily, "ant
prize to anyone who can afford t.
live on it the necessary five years. But
you see l could not do that and prac,
tice."
Leila looked at him searchingly.
! Are you in earnest?" she asked.
Really and truly and honestly, as !
just observed
She looked relieved.
II am glad to hear it," she said. az
was afraid that II might not have
acted quite fairly by YOU
When they reached the house of Mr.
Clifford they found the owner absent
Mr.. Wayne assisted Leila to dismount
and took the horses to the stable Their
he came back to the porch to say
good-by.
at has been very pleasant ride,
he said, earnestly, and something II
his voice brought a warmer color Il
her face. May l call AGAIN."
The color grew deeper and some
thing of her embarrassment ever
crept into her voice as she answered.
Eyes, certainly"