The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-09-27
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- Mackay.
Copyrighted. 1907, by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.

uWluUHo Darcy
| - Mackay.
Copyrighted, 1907, by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.
1t was a clear, bracing day toward
the list Of November, and from the hill
which was crested by the old Lauder
! dale mansion could be seen a sweep of
country touched by varying colors-the
russell and crimson Of oak and maple,
the green of undulating fields and hills
broken here and there by the gray Of
stone walls, the clear flashes Of brooks
or stretches Of open road.
Cad! What air!!' cried Grattan
Richards, tossing back his head and
taking q long Whit.
"And what q day for q hunt!!' echoed
Rex Tellingford, looking past Richards
to where Emily Lauderdale was chat
tering to a group Of men in red coats,
checking in her horse as the hounds
struggled to be off, straining at their
leashes. with every m in such good
fettle it ought to be u great old race!"
she laughed, tucking a strand Of blue
black hair beneath her riding hat.
The eyes of Richards and %Tellingford
met with IN understanding CLEAN.
Each was cognizant of the others
thoughts-that whoever brought back
the brush that day would win n prize
OF far greater value. Both men knew
that their future happiness depended
largely on the mornings run, for En-
lily was q horsewoman from the tip Of
her riding boot to the ends of her firm
/, gauntleted fingers. She set immeas-
urable store by cross country rides,
daring leaps and hairbreadth escapes.
To say q man could not keep his sad
die was equal to Emily's mind with
saying he could not keep his head
Though l think there are virtues
equally as great as cross country rid
ing" smiled gentle Elizabeth Lauder
dale, whose love Of outdoor excitement
was neither SO deep rooted nor Of such
long inheritance as Emily's.
Emily shook her head.
Dear Aunt Elsie" she answered,
you don't in the least understand, and
Pm sure l could never explain. It's
bred in my bone, that's all. If l had
lived in the olden days l should have
had Il tournament-rushing of horses,
clashing Of spears, splintering Of ar
NOR! That's what 1 call a wooing!
No mere ambling up to demand your
heart and hand! And, as I find it hard
to decide between Grattan Richards
and Rex Tellingford, why, fair field
and fair play, and let the best man
Win"
Something Of this headstrong resolu-
ton stirred in the girl as she turned
suddenly III her saddle and glanced at
the two men. Assured triumph glowed
on the face of Richards. Stern deter
mination was written on Te%llingford's.
She gave a little nod Of satisfaction.
They were we'll matched, these two.
The other members of the Lauder
dale house party were not unaware of
the drama that was being played be-
fore their eyes, and 1t added to the zest
Of the morning Us the signal was Civ
en-, the dogs unleashed and the caval.
cade swept gayly down the hill.
Look at that girl" gasped Mrs.
Royce Thompson, a novice who pound.
ed in her saddle. tShe's actually
But the rest of the words We're lost
for Emily was already in the distance
galloping at brealneck speed, while al
her heels followed Richards and Tel
!ingford. The rest of the hunt stream.
ed after them. Luck seemed to favor
Richards. His mares feet scarcely
touched the earth. She took fences
and burrows like a winged creature
T%ellingford was not so fortunate. Al
the brink of q stream he was forced
to pause and fasten his saddle girth
Partly from excitement and partly
from annoyance he fumbled with II
longer than he had intended, and wheI
he raised his head the others were al
ready far nf1eld, Emily Lauderdale and
Richards still in the lead. The hounds
had scented their quarry and were II
full cry.
Tellingford considered. There was 9
+. crosscut that he had tried ono before
1t lay through bitches and brambles
ami was intersected by five bar fences
Still anything ut a pinch, and he would
back Fleetfoot against every mare II
the county. He congratulated himself
on this decision some moments latel
as Fleetfoot went forward at a pace
that justified her name. Her course
now lay across wide meadows filled
with lush grass and starred here anG
there by purple asters and skirted by
low stone wallis, in whose crumbline
chinks vines twisted and across whose
loose stones squirrels skipped and
chartered.
"Bravo, old gffri!'' cried Tellingford
his hand on F1eetfoot's glossy neck
gently urging her forward. At that
moment there reached him sharply and
piercingly the bitter cry Of a child.
Tellingford drew rein. By the wall
circling a ditch that Fleetfoot wal
about to take. lay a small, chubby is
ure: one hand fun Of flowers.
"Pricked himself with brambles,s
thought Tellingford. Aloudshe said:
"Cheer up, sonnyl Men never cry
for a scratch.' He was for urging
F1eetfoot on again when the inertnesl
of the little heap by the wall smotl
home to him. He checked his horsl
and dismounted. An instant later b
stood with the helpless burden In bib
arms. The child's yellow head rested
against his shoulder. One small arm
hung limp across his own. With an
understanding almost human, Fleeb
foot stood by the wall like q bron1l
statue while TeIinpfOrd mounted and