Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-01

tie, with prescience.
 "Only buying horse, Mattie," re- turned Red soberly. Seems to be quite an event here."
 ''Is that all?"
 That's all, so help me Bob" Red had suspicion that there would be objections if she knew what kind of a horse it was.
 Lettis, who had roomed with Red overnight, was in the secret.
 The horse arrived, leading very quietly, as MT. Upton had said. It was buckskin, fat and hearty from long resting. Nothing could be more docile than the pensive lower lip and the meek curve of the neck. Nothing could be more contradictory than the light of its eye, breeding, baleful fire, quietly biding its time.
 Scatter friends"' cried Red as he put his foot in the stirrup. Don't be too proud to take to timber!'
 He swung over as lightly as a tra- peze performer, deftly catching his other stirrup. The horse groaned and shivered
 Don't let him get his head down! Col ding 1t! Don't you!" screamed MT. Upton in wild excitement.
 Red threw the bridle over the horn of the saddle. GO it, you devilw cried he. And they went. Six feet straight in the air, first pass. The crowd scattered, as requested. They hurried at that. Red gave the brute the benefit of his 250 as they touched earth, and his opponent grunted when he felt the jar of it. They reelected and ricochetted; they were here, they were there, they were everywhere, the 1 buckskin squealing like pig and fight 1 ing with every ounce of the strength that lay in his steel strung legs. The dust rose in clouds; Reds hat flew in no time; he was yelling like maniac, and the crowd was yelling like more maniacs. Now and then a glimpse of the riders face could be caught, trans ported with joy of the struggle; then the dust would roll up and hide every thing No one was more pleased at the spectacle than the blacksmith. He was capering in the middle of the road, waving a hand hammer and shouting: Hold him down! Hold him down! Why do you let him jump up like that? If I was on that horse I'd show you! Aw, there it is again. Stop him! Stop him!'
 At this point the buckskin made three enormous leaps for the black smith, as though he had understood. ! The smith cast dignity to the winds and went over the nearest fence in the style that little boys when coasting call stomach whopper," or words to that effect, and took his next breath two minutes later. He might have saved the labor, as the horse wheeled on one foot and pulled fairly for the picket fence opposite. Red regretted the absence of herders as the sharp pickets loomed near. It was no time for regrets. The horse was over with but little damage-a slight scratch; enough to rouse his temper, however, for he whalcd away with both hind feet, and parts of the fence landed hundred feet off. Then dash through an ancient grape arbor, and they were lost to view of the read. Some reck- less small boys scampered after, but the majority preferred to trace the progress of the conflict by the aborig- inal "Yerhoops" that came from some where in behind the old houses.
 'There they go"' piped up shrill voice of the small boy brigade. Right through Mis- Davisses hen coops! You ought to see them hens fly" The tri- umphant glee is beyond the reach of words. Simultaneous squawking veri- fled the remark as well as a feminine voice urging a violent protest, cut short by a scream of terror. and the slam of a door. The inhabitants of "Mis' Davisses" house instantly ap- peared through the front door, seeking the street.
 To show the erraticalness of fate, no sooner had they reached the road than Reds mount cleared the parapet of the bridge in a single leap. a beautiful leap, and came down upon them in the road.
 All got out of the way but three year-Old, forgotten in tine excitement Upon this small lad, fallen fiat in the road. bore the powerful man and horse. Then there were frantic cries of warning Fifty feet between the youngster and those mangling hoofs- twenty-five. The crowd gasped. They were plotted together! Not so. A mighty hand had snatched the boy away in that instant of time. He was safe and very indignant in a bowling. huddled heap in the ditch by the road side, but alas for horse and rider! The buckskin was not used to such feats. and when Reds weight was thrown to the side for the reach he mIssed his stride, struck his feet to- gether. and down they went. while the foot deep dust sprang into the air like an explosion.
 Miss Mattle rushed to the scene of the accident, followed by everybody. Young Lettls. equally frightened, was close beside her.
 s'Oh. VIII. are you kiIledY" she cried
 And then a voice devoid of any signs of weakness, but loaded to the break fng point with wrath. told in such Ian guage as had never been heard in Fairfield that the owner was still much alive.
 |. Run away, Hattie! Run away and
 me eussr shrfeked Red Miss