The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-07-23
way, and in his sons arms Henri!
Meredith lay dead.
CHAPTER XII.
A loosened Tire.

I
1t was a grand gala day in Paris.
The president of the republic was
about to review the rank and file OF
the army on the open plain in front OF
the grandly beautiful old palace of st.
Cloud, the former royal residence of
the kings and queens of sunny France.
All Paris was in movement. Down
the Champs Elysees, past the superb
memorial erected by the first Napo-
leon in honor of his own glory-the
Arc de Triomphe-out drought the
gates on the wonderfully beautiful
Avenue de rIperatrice, the crowd
moved on.
The pageant was a magnificent one.
More than thousand liveried equip
ages vie one with the other in the
beauty OF the horses, with their splen-
did trappings, and OF the costly vehi-
Giles Of every imaginable description
which carried the old nobility and the
more wealthy OF The bourgeoisie Of the
city to the rare and superb spectacle
which was to crown the day.
In the midst OF this glittering multi.
tude a girl, mounted on a coal black
steed and accompanied by two gentle
| men, attracted the most flattering at
tention.
Her habit became well the tall, slen-
der figure, while the azure-tinted eyes
swept the faces of those she passed,
on a rapid, swinging trot, as though
enjoying the admiration her beauty
and her Craftsmanship had won her.
Her horse curveted and pranced as
though conscious of that firm yet gen.
tie touch upon his rein, the form yield
ing so gracefully to his every move
ment.
In a moment all was changed. Near
ing the Bots de Boulogne, the tire Of
wheel directly in font OF them
| loosened from its contact with the
wheel itself, flew back and touched in
its fall the slender fore legs of big
black Jupiter. Another instant, and at
lightning speed he few past the line of
/ now pale and terror-stricken faces.
What had happened no one knew.
Mad terror had taken possession OF
him, as with long strides he baffled all
| pursuit.
1t was impossible in that dense
/ crowd for any one to follow. Indeed.
the accident for a moment barred the
way; and at such a time a moment
! lost equals an eternity. On and on the
| horse and rider flew, the girl still mold.
! ing her seat firmly in the saddle,
| though not doubling but that she was
| riding to her death.
The lovely cheeks had lost their
color, the laughing joyousness had
| died out of the violet eyes. But no
/ sound escaped the half-parted lips, save
faint gasp now and then, as if for
| breath.
But suddenly in her very pathway
| uprose a pile OF stone. She had left
the gay, glittering mass of people far
| behind. The road her horse had taken
was new to her, but deadly and immi-
nent peril was the result of his choice.
The stones blockaded the way. In
stinctively she closed her eyes to shut
out the horrid sight
Only this morning she had smiled at
her face In the mirror, and, remem-
| bering that the fete this evening was
| to be given In honor Of her eighteenth
birthday, rejoiced that 1t was fair,
with the secret hope that some one
who was coming that evening would
find It so.
How would It be when they picked
l
shuddered. A prayer rose TO her lips;
then came a sudden shock, as her
horse upreared on his launches, then
stood still, quivering and motionless.
| What miracle had saved her?
Opening her eyes she discovered a
| horse and rider by her side. the mans
strong arm still graspiug Jupitecs
rein.
I'D ride bravely, mademoiselle."
| said the stranger, courteously raising
Lis hat; "but feared that would not
be in time. l saw that pursuit would
only aggravate the evil, and so chose
the crossroads, hoping might avert
the danger that threatened you"
''You have saved my life," the girl
answered simply. g"
But the words trembled on her lips,
dull mist swan before her; all grew
dark; the slight, graceful form reeled.
In another instant the stranger had
caught her in his arms and the young,
lovely face lay helpless and uncon-
scious upon his breast.
Long and earnestly he looked down
upon II, making no effort to restore
her consciousness. The long, dark
! lashes swept the now lily-tinted
checks, yelling the lustrous eyes; the
sunny curls clustered about the mar
BILE temples, beneath the coquettish
hat resting upon the dainty head; no
breath escaped from between the part.
| ed lips.
One moment he stopped low his
head, as though he would snatch a
kiss from their unconsciousness; but
the fair. silken mustache only brushed
| her brow.
Then, drawing knife from his poch.
ct. he quickly severed one golden tress.
which he had but barely found time to