The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-16
CHAPTER XIII.-Continued.
A Runaway.

For a time Warburton lost his nerve;
he was struck with horror. If she
could not hold her seat, she would be
killed or dreadfully hurt, and perhaps
disfigured 1t seemed rather strange:
as he recalled it, that Dick, instead OF
himself should have taken f the amt'a,
cavalry horse; shot forward magnif-
Gently. Doubtless his horse-sense took
in the situation, or else he did not like
the thought of yonder proud. supercil-
ious show horse beating him In a run
ming race. So, very fast mile was
put to the rear.
The girl, approaching her peril, did
as all good horsewomen would have
done; locked her knee on the horn and
held on. The rush of wind tore the
pins from her hair which, like holden
plume, stretched out behind her. (Have
you ever read anything like this be-
and the girl, it never occurred that
other persons had gone thru like cpl,
sodes. 1t was real, and actual. and
single, and tragic to them.)
The distance between the two horses
began slowly to lessen, and Warburton
understood, in a nebulous way, what
the girl had meant when she said
Pirate kept to the road, Dick would
bring him down; but if Pirate took it
into his head to vault fence! War
burton shuddered. Faster, faster, over
this roll of earth, Gathering across this
bridge. around this curve and that an
gle. Once the sight of team drawing
q huge grainwagon sent a shlVer to
Warburton's heart. But they thun-
dered past with a foot to spare. The
old negro on the seat stared after them,
his ebony face drawn with wonder and
the whites of his eyes showing.
Foot by foot YARD by yard, the spa ai e
lessened, tili b Dick,s nose was asi1 WYNN VIM
burton fairly lifted Dick along with
his knees. I only wish could describe
the race as my iehu told it to me. The
description held me by the throat. |
could see the flashing by Of trees and
houses and fields; the scampering of
pickaninnies across the road; the horses
from the meadows dashing up to the
fences and whinnying; the fine stone
and dust which Pirate s rafting heels
threw into my jehu's 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, l can an mag asc
in his lie. There was no fear
on her face, but there was ap;
peal in her eyes as she half turned
her head He leaned across the inter
vening space and slid his arm around
her waist. The two horses came to
gether and twisted his leg cruelty. His
jaws snapped.
"Let the stirrup co., he cried: HLet
go, uuick.'' She heard him. "Youl
knee from the horn. I can t keep then
together any longer. Now.'
Brave and plucky and cool she was
She obeyed him instantly. There was E
mighty heave, terrible straining Of
the back and the knees, and Pirate wa!
freed of his precious burden. The hard
est part of it came now. Dick coult
not be made to slow down abruptly. HI
wanted to keep right on after his rival
So, between holding the girl with hi
rig hit arm and pulling the horse with hi
left, Warburton saw that he could kee7
up this terrible effort but very shor
time. Her arms were convulsivel,
wound around his neck, and this adde'
to the strain. Not a word did she say
her eyes were closed, as if she expecte
any moment to be dashed to the eartf
But Dick was only mortal horse
The fierce run and the double burde
began to tell, and shortly his head cam
up. Warburton stopped him. The gil
slid to the ground, and in a moment h
was at her side. And just in time. TIL
reaction was too much for her. Dazedl
she brushed her hair from her eve:
stared wildly at Warhurton and faint
ed. He did not catch her with tina
graceful preci sion which on the stag
is so familiar to us. No. He was luck
to snatch one Of her arms, thus prevent
ing her head from striking the roa(
from her skirt. She eyed him curiosul,