Richmond daily palladium., 1906-01-30

/ leased it slowly. Heavens, what all
| ordeal. He drew the back of his hanG
/ across his forehead and found il moist
| Not word about the fine: he must
breach it and thank her All, 10 ride
with her every morning, to adjust her
| stirrup, to obey every command TO
which she might give voice, to feel
her small boot repulse his palm as
she mounted; Heaven could hold moth
ing greater than this. And how easily
woman may be imposed upon! De,
| cidedly, Mr. Robert was violently in
love.
When she returned there was a sun
! bonnet on her head, and she had pin
ned the poppies on her breast. (Why?
I couldn't tell you, unless when all
is said and done, be he king or valet,
/ q man is always a man; and il per
! chance he is blessed with good looks,
| a little more than a man. You will
understand that in this instance | am
trying to view things through a wom-
ans eyes) With a nod she bade him
precede her and they went out toward
the stables. She noted the fiat back,
the square shoulders, the easy, graceful
! swing or the legs.
Have you been a soldier?" she
asked suddenly
He wheeled. His astonishment could
not be disguised quickly enough to
escape her vigiIant eyes. Once more
he had recourse to the truth.
Yes. Madam. 1t was as a trooper
that | learned hOrsemanship."
What regiment?"
Il prefer not to say,'-quietly.
II do not like mysteries, "-briefy
Madam, you have only to dismiss
me, to permit me to thank you for pay
ing my fine and to reimburse you at the
earliest opportunity"
She closed her lips tightly. No one
but herself knew what had been on the
verge of passing across them.
Let US proceed to the stables" was
all she said. 'If you prove yourself
a capable horseman, that is all l de-
sire"
The stable-boy slid back the door
and the two entered. Warburton
glanced quickly about; all was neat
ness. There was light and ventilation,
The girl stopped before a handsome
bay mare which whinnied when it saw
her. She laid her cheek against the
animals nose and talked that soft jar
gon so embarrassing to man and so in.
telligible to babies and pet animals.
Lucky horse! he thought! but his
face expressed nothing.
This is Jane, my own horse, and
there are few living things 1 love so
we'll. Remember this. She is a thorough
bred, first class hunter; and have
done more than five feet on her at
home"
She moved on, Warburton following
soberly and thoughtfully. There was a
good deal to think of just now. The
more he saw of this girl, the less he
understood her purpose in hiring him.
She couldn't possibly know anything
about him, who Or what he was. With
his beard gone he defed her to recog-
nize in him the man who travelled
across the Atlantic with her A high
bred woman, such as she was, would
scarcely harbor any kind of feelings
toward man who had acted as he
was acting If any man had kissed
Nancy the way he had kissed her, he
, would have broken every bone in his
body or hired some one to do it. And
she had paid his fine at the police-sta-
ton and had hired him on probation!
: Truly he was in the woods and there
! wasn't a sign of blazed trail. ct
will be seen that my hero hadn't had
much experience with women. She
knew nothing of him whatever. She
was simply curious and brave enough
. to attempt to have this curiosity graft
fed. Of course, do not venture to say
that had he been coarse in appear
ance, she would have had anything to
do with him.
"This is Dick, my fathers horse,'-
nodding toward a sorrel, large and
we'll set-up. "He will be your mount
Pirate was the handsomest black
gelding Warburton had ever laid eyes
- on.
- What a beauty!" he exclaimed en-.
thusistaically, forgetting that grooms
I should be utterly without enthusiasm
:, He reached out his hand to pat tn
>, black nose, when a warning cry re-
. strained him. Pirates ears lay fiat.
;, Take care! He is bad-tempere(
- animal. No one rides him and W.
keep him only to exhibit at the shows
a Only half a dozen have ridden hin
=, with any success. He won't take ;
=, curb in his mouth and he always runs
!, away. 1t takes very strong man t.
hold him in l really don't. beliey.