Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1903-06-25

row."
tina were returning from town they
let their horses take their own pace
and settled themselves comfortably
back on the buggy seat and listened
to the hum of the wheels and drank in
the charm of the country.
Looking dreamily into Martha's eyes
as the carriage rolled homeward, the
himself only vaguely, came to him.
Does she like me?" He dared not
trust himself to ask as to love- While
he was turning about this, to him,
startling suggestion, a young farmer
of the neighborhood whom Carroll had
often imagined to be covertly fond of
Martha cantered down the road
toward them. He pulled up sharply,
bowed to Carroll, and directed to Mar
tina a few commonplace inquiries
about her family, the crops and the
next party to be given. Carroll thought
he saw blush steal over her cheek as
the young man talked, and after he
had ridden on, half in jest, but bit
in earnest, he asked if that were her
sweetheart. The blush mounted high
er as she denied it. Carroll unreason-
ingly and jealousy insisted that he
was, and finally Martha poutingly
suggested that in any event it was a
matter that did not concern him. The
clouds had fallen. Carroll had had
his question answered.
L.
that his health was now fully regained
and that an urgent letter from home
would take him away the following
morning. Mr.. and Mrs. Rankin ex-
pressed regret. Martha coldly said
she was sorry, and continued the meal
in silence.
That night Carroll retired early to
his room, but not to sleep. His pride
was deeply hurt. and he was indig-
nant. He called himself idiot" and
other pleasant things. She didn't
have the heart TO say she was sorry!
Love! Bosh!D
Finally, putting on light overcoat,
he started for walk upon the pike.
1t was near midnight when he turned
again into the little valley. The full
light of the moon was obscured by a
mist which rose from the river and
spread over the valley. The brooding
silence of the night was broken now
and then by the distant cry of fox
mound, the low neigh of horse, or the
tinkle of sheep bell.
"Clackety clack, clackety clack,
There was borne in on Carroll's ears
the distant sound of galloping horse
upon the turnpike. Could it be the
phantom of Aunt Dinah's story?
| "Clackety-clacki" The horse was
coming nearer. The forgotten tale
sprang wildly into CAROLS mind. and
he felt the chill of the unearthly creep
over him. Sweethearts had quarreled,
The phantom rider was due, Bang
| Crash, Crash, and Carroll saw
wildly speeding horseman flash across
the bridge and come up the road
toward him with uncontrolled gait
Carroll, forgetting all of the i'm
| probability of the tale, ran to the road
side and tried to scale the stone fence
/ But it was too high for him to scale
/ in his nervous condition, and he
crouched against it, his eyes glued
upon the ever-advancing figure. 1t
/ Numbered along. Now it was almost
upon him. A vision OF a horse of
thoroughbred build, with foam flying
from its mouth, with tanks heaying.
and of a darkly clad rider with gaze
fixed ahead, a cloud of dust, sound
of distant hoofbeats, and Carroll. com
pIetely cowed, fed toward the house.
| On the yeranda he met Martha.
| strangely pale
He clasped her in his arms and
whispered: ct won't go home to-mor-
row.p-Walter S. Hiatt in New York
Times.