Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-06-07

Tor the horses Nearly jumped out OF
their harness, frightened by the whirl-
Ing whip and perhaps by the volley OF
curses with which the coachman had
REINFORCED the blows that he had aim
ed 81 DarrelPs head. The team bottled
| frantically, and 1t was matter of life
or death for the man on the box. His
| own safety, coupled with a fleeting
thought OK the woman whose cry he
had heard, kept Darrell busy with the
horses, and he had no time to look back
to see whether the coachman had bro
ken his neck. There was a clear infer
| ence that he had not. however. for II
could hardly have been any one else
| who, at the moment when the fright
ened animals sprang forward, dis
charged pistol that had the resonance
or q small cannon and shook the win
dows Of the narrow street.
fortunately, the way was absolutely
clear. Moreover, Darrell was a strong
and well trained master of horses. and
he had not particularly mettlesome
team to deal with. he had secured
something near to control of the brutes.
though he could not yet stop them,
when he reached the end of the street
and turned into the avenue. 1t was not
right angle. but the carriage was on
two wheels as II went round. Favored
by fortune, he found another unfre-
quented street convenient for his need.
ana before be had come TO the end OF
1t the horses were weary OF the strug-
gle. Yet for the sake Of safety Darrell
. turned them up hill. upon the crest OF
which he brought them to a stand.
! Upon the last part OF the course
I Darrell bad had time for reflection.
and there were many puzzles whirling
/ through his mind. Granting that ne had
stopped team that was not running
away, 1t was natural. perhaps. that the
f, driver should have demonstrated with
him, but hardly so vehemently, with
such blows and maniacal curses. Why
had the woman screamed? How had
1t happened that Paris jehu had been
so prompt with his revolver? WHY
had he not fired second time? Why
had he raised no hue and cry?
At the moment OF turning into the
avenue Darrell had had n glimpse OF
the street, and he had seen two figures
I running, one undoubtedly the coach
man, the other perhaps a chance way.
farer, but both silent That they
should do that amounted to an alb
surdlty. for either he was running
1 away with the horses or they were
running away with him. and In one
case or the other IL would be natural
that the pursuer should cry out. More
over. there had been no sound from the
interior Of the vehicle since the mo.
ment when the horses had made their
/ hrst plunge. Then Darrell had rnncied
that he had heard a stifled scream and
! even the rafting OF the catch upon the
4 door. but from that instant there had
been silence.
] The spot where he had stopped the
horses was unfamiliar TO him. 1t was
quite dark. though a little farther on
were several cafes, and there were
| cabs upon the street. His own equi-
page excited no attention, for there
had been nothing sensational about the
| ascent OF the hill. Indeed. the run.
| away had created no ccmmotion ex-
cept upon the avenue which had been
| crossed, and very little even there.
Darrell got down from the box, hold
| Ing the reins IN his hand, and ap-
preached the door OF the cab. Imme-
.ate1y the window was lowered. and
he saw woman's face
1t Is remarkable, but true. that the
essence OF an adventure changes the
instant that beautiful woman ap-
pears In it. Though the circumstances
may be most unfavorable for romance
and the man as cold as he can be and
yet live, there will be no exception to
the rule.
When Darrell saw that face at the
carriage window, everything was diff
terent Even the past was changed,
and in an instant's pause his sensa-
lions of the last ten minutes hurried to
rearrange themselves. 1t became a
fine thing to have stolen a cab and a
pair or horses in most unusual man.
ner and to have gone careering through
the streets Of Paris at the risk OF ones
neck.
The woman had large and dark eyes,
with such a warm touch of hazel In
them that It was visible even in SO
bad a light Her face was well model
ed, strong and full Of meaning, the
brows clean cut, the lips rather full
and deep tinted, the nostrils delicate
and tremulous, as one sees them best
among the Greeks. But, upon the
whole, the countenance impressed Oar
rell as that OF a lady OF his own land,
and he was greatly surprised to be ad-
dressed IL Russian, language of
which he had q fair command.
"a long way IN the snow" said she
and paused, eying him intently.
The words could have no possible
relevancy, considering the season and
the surroundings
''In the snowT repeated Darrell. IL
am afraid that do not understand"
"You are not Russian" she said in
French. "Why have you done thlsr'
ct don't clearly know what / have
DONE" he replied. II saw some horses
running away, as supposed, and
heard woman's voice that seemed to