Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-11

lessened. till Dicks nose was within three
feet of Pirates flowing tail Warburton
fairly lifted Dick along with his knees. /
only wish | could describe the race as my
jehu told 1t to me. The description held me
by the throat. l could see the flashing by Of
trees and houses and fields; the scamperiug
OF pickauinuies across the road: the horses
from the meadows dashing ap to the fences
and whnnying; the fine stone and dust
which Pirates rafting heels threw into my
jehus face and eyes; the old pain throbbing
anew in his leg. And when he finally drew
alongside the black brute and saw the
white. set face of the girl he loved
but one in his life There was no
| fear on her face, but there was APP
peal in her eyes as she half turned her
head. He leaned across the Intervening
space and slid his arm around her waist
| The two horses came together and twisted
his leg cruelty. His jaws snapped.
| Let the stirrup go" he cried. Let go.
quick She heard him. Your knee from
the horn; / can't keep them together any
| longer. Now
Brave and plucky and cool she was She
obeyed him instantly. There mighty
| heave, terrible straining of the back ana
the knees, and Pirate was freed Of his
precious burden. The hardest part of 1t
came now. Dick could not be made to
slow down abruptly. He wanted to keep
| right on after his rival. So. between hold
| ing the girl with his right arm and pulling
the horse with his left Warburton saw
| that lie could keep up this terrible effort
| but a very short time. Her arms We're
|
| this added to the strain. Not a word did
she say; her eyes were closed. as If she
expected any moment to be dashed to the
earth.
But Dick was only a mortal horse The
fierce run and the double burden began to
tell and shortly his head came up. War
burton stopped him. The girl slid to the
ground, and In moment he at her
side And just in time. The reaction was
too much for her. Dazedy she brushed
her hair from her eyes. stared wildly at
| -,
her with that graceful precision which
the stage is so familiar to No. He
was lucky to snatch one of her arms. thus
| preventing her head from striking the road.
| He dragged her to the side of the highway
| and rested her head on his shaking knees.
| Things grew dark for n time. To tell tho
truth he himself was very close to that
| feminine weakness which the old fellows. In
their rough and ready plays. used TO call
"vapours." But he forced his heart TO
| steady itself.
And what do you suppose the rascal did
with nobody but Dick to watch him? Why.
he did what any healthy young man in love
would have done-pressed his lips TO the
| girls hair. his eyes filling and half a sob
In his parched throat. He dolefully pie
| tured himself modern Antiochus. dying
of love and never confessing 1t. Then he
somehow he felt that her lips and
| cheeks We're yet inviolable to his
touch l should have liked to the
picture they made-the painting horse
| iHgly; the girl in her dust-covered habit.
her hair spreading out like seaweed on n
wave. her white face. her figure showing
its graceful lines my jehu. his hair mat
| ted to his brow, the streaks of dust and
perspration on his face. the fear and love
| and longing in hiS dark eyes / recollect Il
| picture called Love and Honor. or some
thing like that. 1t never appealed to me.
| 1t lacked action. 1t simply represented
| fellow urging girl to elope with him. Both
of them were Immediately dressed But
| hara on hiS oil hiohy
| Maryland was something real. battle
had been fought and won.
Painting is but transitory; by and by she
| opened her eyes and stared vaguely Into
| the face above her. / do not know what
she saw there; whatever ii was 1t caused
her TO struggle to her feet. There was
| color enough in her cheeks now; and there
| was question. too, in her eyes OF War
burton it asked, What did you do when
lay there unconscious?" I'm afraid there
was color in his face, too. Her gaze i'm
mediately roved up the road. There
no Pirate, only haze of dust DC IibtIess
he was still going 1t, delighted over the
| trouble he had managed to bring about.
Warburton knelt at the girls side and
brushed the dust from her skirt. She eyed
him curiously. I shan't say that she
smiled; don't know, for / wasn't there.
Meanwhile she made several futile at
tempts to put up her hair. and a ffnality
| she braided 1t and let it hang down her
| back. Suddenly and unaccountably she
grew angry-angry at herself. at James, at
| the rascally horse that had brought her TO
| this pass Warburton saw something of
this emotion In her eyes, and to avoid the
storm he walked to Dick. picked up
the rens and led him back
IF you will mount Dick, miss he said.
Il will lead him home. It's about five
miles, l should say
The futility and abslrdity of her anger
aroused her sense of the ridiculous; and
smile, warm and merry. flashed over her
stained face. 1t surprised her groom.
THANK you, James You were right.
ought not to have ridden Pirate. 1 pun
ished for my conceit. Five miles? 1t will
| be long walk
II shan't mind it in the least" replied
James, inordinate happy: and he helped
her to the saddle and adjusted the left stir
| rup.
So the journey home began. Strangely
! enough, neither seemed to care particularly
what had or might become of Pirate He
disappeared, mentally and physically. One
| thing dampened the journey for Warburton.
| His game Leg ached cruelty, and after
the second mile (Which was traversed with
out speech from either of them. he fell In
| to a slight limp. From her seat above and
| behind him. she saw this limp.
| You have hurt yourself?' she asked
| gently.
mot today, miss,"-briefy.
| when he ran away with your
| mo. It's an old trouble.
| while you were Soldier?"
| Yes"
! Howl
| He turned in surprise All these ques-
tions were rather unusual. Nevertheless
| he answered her, and truthfully.
Il shot in the leg by a drunken
| Indian"
| while on duty?''
| Yes" UnconSciously he was forgetting
| to add Miss which was the patent of
| his servility. And l do not think that just
/ then she noticed this subtraction from the
| respect due her.
1t was IL o'clock when they arrived at
| the gates She dismounted alone. War
| burton was visbly done up.
"Any orders for this afternoon, miss?"
II shall want the victoria at 3. I have
some shopping to do and a call to make.
| Send William after Pirate I very
grateful for what you have done"
He made reply, for he saw her father
coming down the steps.
Betty said the colonel. pale and wor-
| ried, "have you been riding Pirate? Where
| is he, and what in the world has hap
pened?'-notng the dust on her habit and
| her tangled hair.
| She explained; she told the story rather
coolly. Warburton thought, but she left
| out no detail.