The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1903-07-23

Pered: = won't GO home tO-nor-
row.
oRe afternoon. as CaTr6lf and Mar.
'ha Were returning from town they
let their horses take their osrn pace
and settled themselves comfortably
back on the buggy seat and listened
10 the hum Of the wheels and drank in
The charm Of the country.
Looking dreanIig into Martha's eyes
as the carriage relied homeward. the
question. which he had as vet put 10
himself only vaguely, came to bin.
Does she Ike me?- He dared not
trust himself 30 ask as 10 love. Whue
be was turning abogt this. 20 him.
startling suggestion. e young farmer
Of the neighbofhood whom Carroll had
often imagined 60 be covertIy fond of
Martha csntered down the road
toward them. He pulled or sharply.
bowed 10 Carroll and directed 90 Mar.
tha few commonplace Inquiries
about her family. thc crops and ne
next party 20 be given. Carroll thought
De saW a blush stcal over her cheek As
the young man talked. and AFTER Re
had ridden ca, half ID jest. but a bit
In earnest. he asked Il thar were her
sweetheart The blush mounted hleh.
er AZ she denied g. CarroI uureasop
ingly aud lesiUusly Insisted that he
was, and hzally Martha pouunRly
suggested that in any event Il was .
matter that did not concern him. The
clouds had fallen Carroll haa haa
his question answerci.
Al supper he announced TO ais host
that his health WAS Row fully reralnet
and that an urscni le.,er from home
would take him away the following
morning. Mr, and Mrs. Rankin "a
pressed rvgrg, Martha coldly said
she was sorry. and continued the meal
in silence.
That nieht Carroll retired eariy 90
his room. hut not 10 sleep. uis pride
wss deeply hurt ana BE- was indir
uant he called himself -ldiat,~ ana
other pleasant thingk she didn't
have ihc heart 10 say she Vas sorry g
Love, Bosbi7
Finally putting on 3 urht ororcoat
he started Tor q waik upou the pike
Il vas near midniehf Wheu Dc nfnaa
again into the little valley. The fam
Eight of the moon vas ohscuref by
mist which rose iFoIn the utcr ans
spread over ihe vhHoy The 0rool.us
silence gf the nishl VAS hrokon nau
and then ey the distant cry az tox
hound ihc lou Dc,sh of horse az tha.
tlnkle of a sheep hcli
"Clackeiy e,ack, cIRrkety tiack
There vas horne in ca Carroil's ears
the distant sound 90 a gauoplur hoYss
uuQR the turnpike. Ccuid Is hs The
phantom of Aunt p.rahs story
~Clackeiy -clacki Tha lorsa vas
coming nearor The forsegiea tale
sprang viyidiy iuto CarrouS mlnd. aad
hc fcii the chill of she unearthly croep
over him. Swceihcsrts ha3 Qaarrelod'
Tho phantom rider vas durt Rarr'
Crash, CRASH, ard Carrou saw
Wildly speeJins horspmaa sash across
,hc hridEc and como up the mad
toward him viih ancontroiled salt
Carvcil forgctiins an of tao in
prohsh1iy Of tkc tale. rsn io lhc ls,ad,
sidc and uifd 90 scale TIE stone fcnct
nui u vas TOO higo Ger him g. seals
in his nervous contliiaa. ana he
creuchci sEainst ii. his cyes riaO1
ppon the esersayaRcing SECURE ID
tAuaden,d SionE. NNe n eas almost
upan him, A vision 81 haraa of
thoroughbred hnlit algh i,am Hsins
frcm its mouih. eiih tanks hfavlaE
ana of tarkN clad gi1ef plh gafe
nKod ahcsd. eioaa "a aest . soaaa
q distant hooibeals. and Car0'l eeu
ricle'Y vowed. ncl soNard zee house.
on ,ae Yersada - mei Martha
strangely pale
iic c.sspt1 her ln his aras aaa
whispered, e0af IS home g u,oF.
goe walter & Hiatt - New Yoik
Iimoa