The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-06-28
copyrighted, 1907, By NJ NJ. Cunningham.

1t was clear, bracing day TOWARD
the list of November, and from the hi
which was crested by the old Lauder
dale mansion could be seen a sweep o.
country touched by varying colors-th,
russell and crimson of oak and maple
the green Of undulating fields and hills
broken here and there by the gray OF
or stretches of open road.
Cad! What air" cried GrattaI
Richards, tossing back his head ant
taking along Whit.
And what a day for 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 theiI
leashes. with every one in such good
fettle it ought to be great old race!
she laughed, tucking strand of blue
black hair beneath her riding hat.
The eyes Of Richards and TellipgfOrd
met with an understanding gleam
Each was cognizant of the others
thoughts-tha whoever brought back
the brush that day would win a prize
of far greater value Both men knew
that their future happiness depended
largely OH the mornings run, for En-.
lily was 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 man could not keep his sad
die was equal to Emilys mind with
saying he could not keep his head
Though i 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. g'es7-alass2-s,.
Dear Aunt Elsie" she answered,
''you don't in the least understand, and
I'm sure l could never explain. It's
bred In my bone, that's all. If had
lived in the olden days l should have
had tournament-rushin of horses,
clashing of spears, splintering of ar
NOR! That's what / call wooing!
No mere ambling up to demand your
heart and hand! And, as l 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 in her saddle and glanced at
the two men. Assured triumph glowed
on the face of Richards. Stern deter
mination was written on Tellingford's
She gave a little nod of satisfaction.
They were well 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 it added to the zest
Of the morning as the signal was Civ.
en-, the dogs unleashed and the caval.
cade swept gayly down the hill.
Look at that grill! gasped Mrs.
Royce Thompson. a. novice who pound.
ed in her saddle. "She's actually
But the rest of the words were lost,
for Emily was already in the distance,
galloping at breakneck speed, while at
her heels followed Richards and Tel.
lingford. The rest of the hunt stream.
ed after them. Luck seemed to favor
His mares feet scarcely
f1a al
and burrows like winged creature.
was not so fortunate. At
the brink of stream he was forced
to pause and fasten his saddle girth.
Partly from excitement and partly
from annoyance he fumbled with it
longer than he had intended, and when
he raised his head the others were al
ready far afield, Emily Lauderdale and
Richards still In the lead. The hounds
had scented their quarry and were In
full cry.
Tellingford considered. There was
crosscut that he had tried once before.
It lay through bitches and brambles
and was intersected by five bar fences.
Still anything at pinch, and he would
back Fleetfoot against every mare in
The county. He congratulated himself
IN this decision some moments later
rs Fleetfoot went forward at a pace
hat justified her name. Her course
now lay across wide meadows filed
with lush grass and starred here and
here by purple asters and skirted by
ow stone walls, in whose crumbling
thinks vines twisted and across whose
Dose stones squirrels skipped and
,battered
Bravo. old girlw cried Tellingford.
lis hand on Fleetfoot's glossy neck.
GENTLY urging her forward. At that |
there reached him sharply and
'iercingly the bitter cry Of child.
Tellingford drew rein. BY the wall,
ircling n ditch that Fleetfoot was
bout to take, lay q small. chubby fig |
ire, one hand full Of flowers.
"Pricked himself with brambles,"
bought Tellingford. Aloud he said:
Cheer up. sonny! Men never cry |
or n scratch" He was for urging
'leetfoot on again when the inertness
Z the little heap by the wall smotc
ome to him. He checked his horse
nd dismounted. An instant later he |
TODD with the helpless burden I'm his
rms. The child's yellow head rested
gainst his shoulder. One small arm
ung limp across his own. with an
almost human. Fleet