Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14
THE HOUSE OF THE
BLACK RING.
CHAPTER V-Continued.
BY FRED LEWIS PATTEE.
Copyright. 1905. By Henry Holt & Coz

| for her to the last ditch. 1t Is doubt
| full If there are many women even To-
day who would really object to being
eloped with, IL 1t were done strenu-
| onsly enough. and If the affair could END
when they said the word
| At that instant however, Jim became
( aware of an obstacle all but insuperaple
| He had caught up with the other sieighs'
| and, by all that was unlueky, 1t was 81
| tho point where the road first enters me
| roolJntains Scrub oaks and yellow pine
| dwarfs thick as the bristles on brush
I came down to the very wheel ruts II was
| fo.olfshness TO think of driving by, and the
sleighs were crawling at snail pace TO al
| low the sled to overtake them. lie htlu
| the impatient colt to a mincing trot, fret-
| ting all the time and Tuning like trapped
| bear.
Soon from the distance behind came the
| echo of bells. Rose caught II instantly ana
| turned to look back.
MY, but that horse of Karl's is coming
| thought she cried. Then she laughed IN
| his ear most bewitching little ripple.
| 1t was evident that she was enjoying MS
| dilemma.
He did not answer The furious driving
| behind was becoming more evident Inc
| driver in minute would be right upon the
hind sleigh. and Jim would be forced TO
| stop and explain He looked right and lett
| at the bush tangle the wild desperation OF
the cornered animal in his eyes.
|
she laughed again IN his ear. lie turned
| to catch the twinkle of mischief in her
| eyes and 1t smote him like spur.
| Then came a loud hail from the rear:
| Hold on there, Farthing I've got my
| horse now. Hold on there.
Not by long chalk" The words fairly
| Kissed.
"sav. you're not going to try to drive
| by?" She Strengthened up in real alarm
| That's just what I'm going to do. Helgh,
| there!" he yelled to the sleighs In front.
Turn out there. qucker'n lightning. Turn
| out there! Turn out, l say. I'm gong oy
Oh the right. Sharp there, or III smash
into yeh! Hold tight, Miss Hartswick.
| Here she goes!'
The road had grown slightly wider, but
| it was inviting certain disaster TO try 10
| run by in such place. Automatically the
| sleighs ahead damned into the opposite wall
| OF scrub. and the colt struck with the
whip. darted forward like wild thing. IN
| stantly the sleigh was crashing and grlnd-
| ing into the horny tangle. 1t reared on
| one runner and rocked and plunged at
| maddening angle amid a chorus of exclama-
tinos from the sleighs, The shaggy branches hes
| raked and gouged. They bit into the
| driver pitiless as barbed wires. but he sat
stiff as a linchpin to trim the sleigh and
shelter the girl. His hat was smashed on
| by a prawlng branch but what's a nat Z
A jagged limb. cruel a fish rake. clutch
ell into his face and hair; another snatchsd
a the colt, and caught a sinister finger
into the harness. but the straps held. in
q
spinning along with clear road.
There" he cried eXultantly; think he II
| follow Miss Hartswick?"
Mercy nor she burst out. Say, that 6
the most reckless driving l ever saw. |
don't believe you could get through there
:. again in thousand times"
'Perhaps not" he retorted grimly. but
started out to take you home, and it'll take
more'n bushes to stop me-" There was bit
terness in his heart. The girl beside him
was his only by capture. Her heart was
in the sleigh behind. That was evident.
She did not reply. This was new type
of man, truly. She glanced up again fur
lively to catch a glimpse Of his square jaw
and warlike figure The glance startled
| her.
'Why-why," she exclaimed. your face is
all blood"
only a scratch" he answered. lightly.
Bush struck me back there"
But let me see She spoke imperatively
and he bent over toward her.
why, there's a regular cash, and IT.
bleeding terribly. Here. let me wipe of
the blood"
mo, no; not with that" The objected
quickly, but she paid no heed.
His heart began to beat almost audibly.
He would have his face carved like Ger
man students If she would but bend over
him like this and stroke away the blood
with her handkerchief.
His exultation was short-lived. By GU
rfous chance no sooner was he clear OF the
bush than the road became suddenly wide
enough for two teams abreast. The man
behind delayed not an instant, but dashed
by the line of sleighs and now 1t was a
straightaway race, with Jim handicapped
by hundred pounds. Soon the breath of
the great bay was spouting down the back
of his neck and lusty voice was shouting
almost in his ear:
'Heigh, therei amt you going to hold up?
Stop, say?'
Not by a long chalkr Jim wheeled and
flung back the challenge in hot wrath.
'Heigh? What's that?'
I've started out to take her home and
by gum I'm going tor
What do yeh mean?" snorted the man.
the true inwardness of things beginning at
last to filter through his consciousness.
Il mean exactly what l say" There was
no mistaking the mans tone. IF you want
her, come and get her"
by mighty; so that's the game is II?
You just wait minute!" came roaring back
the answer sweep of wrath shifting him
in the face like whip. But 1t is not an
easy matter on a narrow road to rescue a
purloined maiden from sleigh ahead es-
pecialy when the etiquette of the race for
bids shooting. For a mile it was a stern
chase, and 1t threatened to be long one
What are you going to do when he
catches you? Fight?" There was a sus-
| picion of fun In her voice
He hain't caught me yet" he snapped,
rafting the whip again in the socket
But he will on Moon Run flats He'll run
| right round you"
| You wait and see'
But you're handicapped, and you can't
expect to beat that great bay. He's got the
best horse and '
Yes, and he's got the best every
thing" he answered bitterly. That s
just what's the matter don't
have the ghost of a chance in-anythina.
| But by king!'-the words fairly ground
| through his teeth-"he haint got the best
horse, I'll tell him that"
AT that moment they came out of the
| rough, bush-bound road upon Moon Run
| flats. where for a mile or more the road
| was level and double. Karl Keichiine saw
| his chance. He would drive by then turn
and head off the fugitves. With whip ana
| voice he urged his horse into a great burst
| OF speed, and in moment he was right
| alongside.
| Thought you was going to run away
| from me, did yeh? Heigh? Think you can
| beat me with that little runt of a horse.
| do yeh2 Heigh?'' he sneered almost in Jim's
| ear. The two men were SO near together
| that they could have touched each other.
| Then 1t was that Jim Farthing's colt
| showed the stuff that was in her. AS il
| catching for the first time the spirit of the
| race. she let out a burst of speed that as
| tonished even her owner. Neck and neck
| they raced. the little mare and the long
| gelding Karl. excited now to fever pitch
| and boiling-mad, jerked at the relns and
1 apd Oh nd ha Ia nj ct