Smyrna times., 1901-03-06
ROMANTIC
SUSAN.

avoided it, but Adele Vernon always
took everything in her way. She could
not yet compass the stone wall, and
the wide ditch, but that was
log, and not very high one. She
determined to take the log at a flying
leap, and put the clumsy pony at it.
Rather more sensible than his mis-
tress, the animal stood stock-still. She
rode off at short distance, and then
came up again at a gallop. Disguised
at this persistence. Possum came to
such a sudden stop that Susan was
pitched over his head, into thicket of
blackberry bushes.
For the moment she forget to be the
heroine, and became a very much
frightened Susan Perkins. She |
screamed for help, and, as if in answer
to her summons, young man stepped
from the bushes near her, pale, with a
very black moustache, and he had
fastened so fast to her assistance that
he had lost his hat. What a charming
adventure, and here was the Prince at
the very nick of time.
81 saw your horse throw youl Are
you much hurt! Where was the ami
NAL gone to?" were his rapid ques-
tlons, and he looked anxiOusly around
GIVE sprained my ankle, l think,
she said, feeling faint and bruised and
scratched. eff you'll help me out of
these briers, please. -
He assisted her rather impatiently
and repeated his question.
(Which way did your horse go? All,
there he is, as his eyes fell upon the
bedizened animal, grazing a short dis
tance off. "You can't ride, miss, but
I'll take your horse and bring help to
you in a minute"
ooh, you're so kind" clasping his
, hand, enthusiastically. Take the
| right-hand road, and that will bring
you to our farm"
Whilst she was speaking the man
had rushed from her, throwing the en-
= cumbering blanket to the ground, had
mounted POssum and started off at a
galIop.
Chow anxious he is to bring me
e help" she said. "Oh, he's taken the
D wrong road! But he'll be sure to see
e the house when he gets to the top of
e the hill. If here isn't pa coming! He
must have meet him on the road
= "What are you doing, Susan, sitting
J. there in the road?" cried astonished
d Mr.. Perkins. "Whar's Possum?"
r "Ariel threw me, pa" she answered
e "and. oh, my ankle hurts me SO! ]
y think it's broken"
h "Ariel? What's Ariel?"
y Her father jumped down and ex
IF amined her ankle. cts only sprained
of But who would have thought old Pos
sum could throw anybody? Where il
|. the rascal?"
lie Didn't you meet handsome yount
/, gentleman?" she said, blushing
la "Pale. and had such a black nous
ry tache. He started after you on Ariel
g. but L supposed he took the wronI
e. road"
s. There was trampling of horses be
hind them, and two men rode up. On
x of them was an acquaintance of MI
1t, Perkins.
gs "Helloo, Perkins, is that you
ad What's the matter?"
IN "Oh, not much! My gal here wf
m. throwed by her pony, and her ankle
7as hurt little"
rm "That's bad. Have you happened
see a chap pass here9 Tall and pal
as faced, with black moustache-Bi
,irl LYONS, the horse thief. We had hi
de In Jail last night, but he got out son
not wav, and we've traced him this way
ide The rest of the novel need not
ing written. 1t can earsily be compr
ing hended, even to Mr.. Perkins vigc
,od ous advice on Susan's return hom
ms The photographs of Mr.. Perkins al
Mrs. Perkins and the romantic Sus
or, at the reunion of this interesting fa'
tell ilv would have furnished avery al
the mating scene.