The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-19
TIE EVENING STOR T
u &c ..aIonkey,' Din

by Michael James.l
But there isn't room for all seven OF |
US in the wagon box" said Clement, |
when Rex Burgess had invited the party !
10 pile IN"
'sOh. Gorrnley can ride on the front |
seat with the driver, Burgess had re- /
Piled lightly enough, though GormleJ /
Ielr the undercurEent OF malice IN ms !
voice, up near the horses. These gal !
liant cavalrymen ike to be about horses
You know"
roads liquid, but a hard freeze following
had reduced them to ssco5th irons ana
tho rumble OF The wagon on the .haId
surface echoed far through the breath
less, glittering cold OF the moonlight.
It was the night OF the GranEeFs
party at Merriheld Town hall, Ave E3i3ea
from Slocum, and q wsGlz before Bar
CESS had invited a half dozen young
in his sleigh. The thGw had necessi-
tated the change from sleigh to wagon.
7 wish hadn't come, wish haon <
come" beat necessarily in GoTfaisy
horses feet. Il had no business TO co
it. Burgess is a boor. He never 1orgsSs
his money nor. remembers his manners.
What got into me- I Wonder! ana
much more Of the same sort OF sell
deception, for Gormley knew perfectly
why he was Drawing ths ntpplnS colo
and Burgess thrusts. Nothing but SUD
den death could have kept him away
Of being near her was dashed by Ane
thought that Burgess was nearer stlll-
beside her, in fact. To secure that Gov
eted place their host had boldly ordered
his rival to the front seat
Any man with red blood in his VEINS
could scarcely blame Burgess Tor ms
maneuvering. The girl was DeWilcl-
ing little figure, muffed in furs, CO.
quettish red tan-o '-shanter setting on
her pfquant face and mischievous eyes
Burgess had. never seen her look pref
tier, and he glowed with satisfaction
at his neat disposal for the drive at
least. of his rival.
G0rmiey, by nature almost to submits
sive, was near to being reused. ne
was Iashing himself in bitterness OF
spirit. 1t had always been So rate
had made him the football of Rex
Burgess, even in school days. Burgess
was big and brave and handsome
while he was slight and pale faced
The boys had nicknamed tsGormley
Molly because once he had tainted
at the sight of blood. Burgess father
was the wealthiest man in Slocum, ana
every cent of the money would one DAY
belong to Rex, for he was the only
child
Regardless of the merry chatter and
the snatches of song from the others
Gormley plunged deeper into his mel
ancholy reflections. He puny cle s1-. N
a dry goods store, to aspire to sylvia
Gerrish's love against one so favored
of gods and men as Burgess!
His cheeks burned, too, when he
thought Of the others contemptuous
| reference to "cavalrymen. Frankly,
he admitted, it was ridiculous that ne.
Molly Gormley, should have marital
aspirations. Yet when the state mill
tary board had offered Siocum the
equipment for a troop of cavalry for
the National guard, Gormley had been
unanimously chosen captain. And he
was the man for the place. He could
ride; 1t had always been the sport IN
which he eXcelled. He knew the
monkey drill of the United States
cavalry as he knew the alphabet.
They talk of Cossacks and Bedouin
Arabs and Indians, and the way these
saVageS handle a horse, but the man
who follows the yellow guidon is a little
the best horseman of them all. And
Captain Molly" Gormley, Troop A,
First cavalry, state troops, rode like
regular. whether in the saddle, bare
backed over the hurdles or standing,
each foot planted firmly on the back OF
a galloping horse. Besides the first quail
ification of a cavalryman, he had the
other requisite for an officer, the gift
of command, and even West Point can't
teach that So despite the fact that
his body quailed at the sight Of blood
! Gormley's spirit sang with the notes
/ of the bugle when Troop A, two long
! straight lines of men and horses moving
beautifully in unison, passed in review
at camp.
I The thought Of his creation-he had
made Troop A the pride Of the National
! Guard in the two years it had been or
! ganized-gradually lightened the gloom
which had overspread Gormley's spirits
( He reflected with considerable comfort
/ that Burgess could not ride we'll The
/ big fellow did not understand horses
/ and feared them. The bully in him crept
/ out too, on horseback; he thought II
/ merely discipline to jerk the head OF
/ hts mount cruelty and without reason
! n ut a a
/ maybe this fling at "caValrymen' had
/ been due to envy.
Even the possibility that Burgess
envied him was balm to GOrmley s
sore heart. And if he could only plan
it so as to sit by Sylvia on the home
ward journey, now, his cup or JOY
would be full 1t was a mighty bound,
/ from the depths of despair almost TO
! the pinnacle of bliss in one short half
! hour, but Gormley was young, and
youth has hope for heritage
Insenslbly the young man was at
/ tracted by the beauty of the night.
The FURNISHED moon glistened on mill
lions of tiny floating frost crystals IN
| I'll they sparkIed like diamond dust.
To the westward the black roadway
/ unrolIed before them like velvet
rfbbon. Beaver creek crossed beneath
it a hundred yards away. From the
! loWland bordering the creek, the road
! had been graded to a height OF fifty
/ feet and the embankment was mar
row. steep and dangerous. A railing
on each side hedged in the roadway
Tonight nothing was visible below
that railing. A mist. white and soft
rs cotton wool. rose from the swampy
| low ground and rolled in noiseless bill
I lows to the height of the road The
/ advance of the Gathering wagon and
/ its occupants into this heaving white
| silence seemed almost uncanny It
was as sea which might rise and en-
gulf them.
The others were similarly impressed
/ it would SEEM for the talk was some
what quieter. The team, after three
miles of brisk movement, was getting
warmed up and danced spiritedIy.
The driver took a fresh grip of the
reins, for careful work was needed,
especially at night, in crossing
! Pea YER craak Oats. He pulled strong