Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-16

! Hurting Hunter, blanket and herself In q
confused and rolling heap.
reason why she should strike, no reason
why, if she did strike, any harm would
occur. But it was all done in a second
of time. Sitting sideways, instead of
astride, Hunter was at disadvantage.
He could not Gift her" as he was ac-
cnstomed. The excited creature dashed
at the bar as though reckless of its add
ed height; the off fore foot struck the
tough, unyielding wood, tripped her,
threw her headlong on the turf, hurting
Hunter, blanket and herself in con-
fused and rolling heap. A woman's
shrek went up at the instant, but 1t
came not from the lips of the women on
the field
It seemed but another instant before
/ Hunter was on his feet. reins in hand,
while Stella was struggling to rise
Forgetful of himself. he sought to see il
| the mare were harmed. Ray and Hogan
sprapg to his side. care you hurt,
mani" they eagerly asked, but he laugh
ed it off.
"Not at all. sir. I'm only troubled
about her"
Painting, wide eyed and startled,
Stella stood, with heaving TANKS. Won
dering what it all meant. Ray fastened
to reassure his wife. Anterior rode up
to satisfy himself the soldier was unin-
/ jured. Over beyond the roadway and
fence two Of the laundresses were lead
ing Mrs. Merriweather, shocked and
4 actually weeping, away. AT them the
sergeant stood gazing fixedly. his, dis
colored face working with passion, and
Captain Blake had twice to bid him
pick up the bar before he answered and
I obeyed.
That's what you call o stand off, /
suppose - mutrered the man at the op-
posite post as Merriweather brushed
him by. "Don'ti tell me don't know
who foored YOU But the sergeant
never heard. He was Fastening after
his wife.
Ray" said the colonel as they were
riding into the garrison few minutes
later, "that was piece of gross care
lessness on the part of your sergeant.
That man has been getting less reliable
every month for the last two years.
You'd better think twice should he APP
ply for re-enlistment.
Gerald said clear sighted Mrs.
Blake, as she chung to the arm of the
captain, after leaving Mrs. Ray at her
gate, "I'sl glad that didn't happen in
your troop. Are you sure Sergeant
Merriweather set that pin properly?
Wasn't it his wife that shrieked?'
"Pet, said Mrs. Mainwaring to her
niece just as the young doctor lifted his
cap and looked for an invitation to en-
ter as he met the two ladies returning
from call at the Rays an hour later,
"you and DR.. Jayne came near getting
another patient this afternoon, and a
most interesting one, they say, mys-
terious swell in the sorrels. He might
serve to mako you forget the handsome
unknown who played doctor for you the
night of the collision. She hasn't told
you about that, suppose, has she, doc
tor?''
| Nah, no. no, indeed" said DIR.
Jayne in evident dismay. "What was
he like, pray?"
ooh, d;vinely tall and most divinely
fair" said Mrs. Mainwariug, laughing.
"Kate has his flask and handkerchief
yet, waiting for him to return and claim
them-and her.
And that evening Miss Leroy won
dered whether aunts We're always SO
disagreeable or whether this was mere
ly her own fault, and entirely her fault,
because she had admitted that, though
there were agreeable men in the regi-
ment, they were all married