The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-08-02

A vivid fash Of lightning made the
horses rear and splunge.
Look sharp, Ely cried the stranger
In no more cordial tone. Gather your
wraps and jump out. On night lire
this these nervous brutes''-
A peal of thunder that ratified the
windows interrupted him. The two
animals reared and backed with one
accord. The plucky footman, hanging
on to the crossbars of the bits, was
lifted off his feet and banged violently
against the pole. He was forced to let
go and fell, staggering backward some
yards before he dropped. There was
O smash of iron and wood, and the
near hind wheel of the carriage jam
med against the curb. A slight scream
came from the interior. Certain that
the vehicle would turn over instantly.
the man who had alighted slammed the
door and sprang clear. In doing so he
tripped over the newsboy and fell
heavily on The pavement. The boy,
quicker to note that the breaking of
the pole had given a momentary res
pite, rushed into the roadway throw
ing away botlnprecious bun and still
more precious stock of unsod papers.
He wrenched the other door open
and shouted:
'"rhis way, madam. Quicllw
madam" was quick. She sprang
right into his arms and proved to be
girl of twelve or Whereabouts, dressed
all in white and wrapped IL an ermine
cloak.
Over went the carriage with q fear
full crash. The coachman managed to
jump from the box into the roadway.
He retained the rens and whip in his
grasp and now, losing his temper, lash
ed the struggling horses savagely. This
cowcd them, and they ceased their an
tics
The boy and the girl founG them
selves standing on the sidewalk close
to the ruined vehicle.
"You have saved my life" said the
girl sweetly and without any trace OF
the nervousness which might naturally
be expected after such narrow escape
from a serious accident.
The boy noted that her eyes were
large and blue, that she wore q great
shining ornament In her hair and that
she appeared to be dressed In some
what fanciful manner, though the big
cloak she wore concealed the details.
The door Of the mansion opened, and
servants came running out.
Suddenly the boy received a violent
blow on the side OF the head.
"Confound you" shouted the man
who had fallen on the pavement, "why
didn't you get out of the way when l
told your
The boy, astounded by such recog-
milton of his timely help, made no re-
ply, but the girl protested vehemently.
"Oh, uncle,' she cried, "why did you
strike him? He got me out Of the
carriage just before It turned over.
He did, indeed!'
Another vivid fash of lightning H.
lumined the scene. 1t lit up the group
with startling brilliancy. The boy,
still somewhat shaken by the vicious
blow, was nevertheless able to see
clearly the pale, handsome, but dissi-
pated features of his enraged assail-
ant, whose evening dress and immacu-
late linen were soiled by the black
mud of the pavement. The girl, dainty
and fairy like, little maid of aristo-
cratic type, and Of beauty that prom
Used much In later years, was distress
ed now and almost fearful.
Through the crowd of frightened
servants, augmented by few daring
pedestrians, burly policeman, gil
in llC ad
vancing with official buster.
what has happened?' he demand
ed. us anybody hurt?"
The man answered:
"My horses were startled by the
storm. / jumped out and was en-
deavoring to extricate my niece when
this wretched boy got in the way
Uncle" protested the girl, 'you
closed the door on me, and the boy
shut up" he growled CURLY. go
inside the housev'
But his niece shared with him at
least one characteristic. She possessed
the family temper.
II will not go away and let you say
things which are not true. Listen to
me, Mr.. Policeman. Lord Vanstone
did close the door because he thought
the carriage would turn over on top Of
him. For some reason the accident
did not happen Immediately, and the
boy ran round to the other side and
helped me out just in time"
"Confound the brat! think he was
the real cause of the whole affair.
Why was he hiding in my doorway"
Lord Vanstone was more enraged
than ever by the girls obstinate de-
Tense Of her rescuer and her insistence
on his own seeming cowdrdice.
81 was not hiding. l only took shell
ter from the storm / tried to help you
because the footman was struggling
with the horses. l do not claim any
credit for simply opening a door and
helping the young lady to alight, but
| lost both my dinner and my papers
In doing So"
Every one experienced a shock of
surprise at hearing the boys elegant
diction. The policeman was puzzled.
He instantly understood the facts. but
dared not browbeat an earl.
"You do not bring any charge against