The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-08
PART II. CHAPTER IL
Continued.

lier for you Major o
Meme cousine has lost hers by this
sudden to the Adjutant
go. meme Lebling, the Herr Major
will TAKE good care of you. and you
can show him the way"
Need it be said with what avidity
Steinhausen bounced upon this golden
chance?
The stars in their courses fought
for him at last, he thought, as with a
studiously grave, composed air he Of
fered his arm to Lies. who had been
hidden by the wide expanse Of the
Burgomeister's figure.
She looked pale and slightly con
fused, but infinitely pretty. in a warm
winter costume of gray cloth and dark
brown fur, and a cap of the same, over
which a blue head "Tuch" Omitted
wooden scarf was loosely thrown to
shield their ears from cold and frost
bite.
She hesitated and drew back at his
approach.
Perhaps, Herr Major, you have al
ready made some other engagement
] can go with"
1T is our duty at once to obey" he
interrupted, with much decision, and,
drawing her arm within his own, he
led her away to his sleigh almost a
prisoner, so tightly did he hold her
hand against his side.
w. CLo:l,~ao~s. ,,npnnpont on.
peared to put an end to the hesita-
ton; the company began rapidly to al
range themselves in their sleighs. and
the Burgomeister undertook the duties
of leader.
When all were seated he gave the
word ''Vorwartz," and they started in
the order prescribed by the rules Of
sleighing parties.
First came the six "Einspanner"
(one-horse vehicles) of the unmarried
gentlemen, each accompanied by the
lady he had invited next a large
sleigh with four horses, conveying the
band; then eight or nine PZweispan-
ners" (two-horse sleighs). each holding
four, and driven by married gentlemen.
closed the procession.
Behind each rode a servant, envel-
oped in iurs, on q saddle-ike seat, his
feet resting OH a narrow ledge beneath
the body of the carriage.
Away they went, the horses tossing
their heads as if proud of their bells,
their gay trappings and the many-col-
ored tufts of hair that hung from
the arch above their heads.
The ~sleigh-bells rang merrily, the
drivers cracked their long whips, the
band FLASHED out a quick march, the
metal ornaments of the carriages gilt
tered in the sunshine, the little boys
shouted with delight, as the whole
eortege swept rapidly down a narrow
street past the LaZaret. and away
over a narrow steep bridge shat
spanned the river on which the town
was built, now fast locked in the frost's
icy grasp, into the open country. away
past cottages. their windows thickly
framed with green pine boughs to keep
out the winter blast. past farmhouses
with their central dirt-heaps CONCEALED,
frosted over, and sparkling in the light,
past rare human figures, like walking
bundles Of clothes, who stopped and
stared after the gay company.
Away still, leaving all trace OF
houses and life behind, always ascend.
ing, sometimes so steeply that the
fresh, eager horses were obliged to so
slowly.
The goal vas a mountain village
which lay at the foot of a huge, conf
cal hill, or rather mass Of rock.
crowned by some beautiful ruins.
Falkenburg was renowned as an OBJ
feet for both summer and winter par
ties, and especially for sleishing
EGeselleschaft.'
Nearly all the drivers were familiar
Eith the way; but to Stcinhausen it
Has quite new.
He was therefore obliged to keep his
Rorse well IN hand, to that animals
great disgust, manifested by bounds
and prancings which fully exercised
his drivers skill and strength of wrist.
S~teinhausan had wrapped and packed
up his companion in the luxurious furs
of his sleigh with the tendercst care,
for which she thanked him with q
glance and smile of unusual frienCli-
ness, and then an awkward silence
fell upon them.
"Ycu are half frightened, I see" ex-
claimed Steinhausen at last, looking
Gown at Lies, as she unconsciorsly
shrank nearer to him during Scrlc Of
their steed's wilder performances.
mo, scarcely frightened, q little III
comfortable, and I fear for you, SO
lately recovered.
This tiresorle horse is too much"
mo, he is not" said Steiahauscl,
shortly.
But, rlein Gnadige, you know the
roadway 1 venture to give Mohr his
head, and pass on to the front?
ut is this holding in that makes Lin
troublesome"
Yes" she returned, 81 know thc
road we'll"
With a deIterors hand, Steinhauscl
shaved, p~crilously close, past the fore
most sleigh, and then off they went
Ike the wind, leaving the rest. who
shouted reproaches after them for
breaking the line of march. far behind;
the black horse, relieved of the inliS-
nifty of having to follow another, set
tlel down into a steady rapid trot.
That's all right" said Lies CHAR
ioteer. Now we can talk in COM