Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-10-15

give YOU horse and ride with you
into the valley
1t is much nearer by the bridge, and
have my horse over there.
I'VE shall get the horse without trous
bic" he said. and she walked beside
him through the starlighted wood. AS
they crossed the open tract she said:
This is the Port of Missing Men"
Yes, here the lost legion made its
last stand. There lie the graves Of
some of them. It's a pretty story /
hope some day to know more of 1t
from some such authority as yourself y
Il used to ride here on my pony
when was a little girl and dream
about the gray soldiers who would not
surrender. 1t was as beautiful as an
old ballad. I'll wait here. Fetch the
horse, she said. and hurry. please
IF there are explanations to make"
he began, looking at her graveIy
Il am not person who makes ex
plantations, Mr.. Armitage You may
meet me at the gate
As he ran toward the house he mel
Oscar. who had become alarmed at his
absence and was setting forth in
search of him.
Come; saddle both the horses, Os
car" Armitage commanded.
They went together to the barn and
quickly brought out the horses.
.:You are not to come with me, Os
car"
"a captain does not go alone 1t
should be the sergeant who is sent
yes?'
1T is not an affair of war, Oscar,
but quite another matter. There is a
saddled horse hitched to The other side
of our abandoned bridge. Get it and
ride it to Judge Claiborne's stables
and ask and answer no questions
A moment later he was riding to-
ward the gate, the led horse following
He flung himself down, adjusting the
stirrups, and gave her a hand into the
saddle. They turned silently into the
mountain road
''rhe bridge would have been simpler
and quicker said Shirley. AS it is, l
shall be late to the ball"
81 am contrite enough, but you don't
make explanations.
mo; ! don't explain, and you are to
come back as soon as we strike the
valley | always send gentlemen back
at that point" she laughed and went
ahead of him into the narrow road
She guided the strange horse with the
ease of long practice, skillfully testing
his PAGES, and when they came to a
stretch of smooth road sent him flying
at a gallop over the trail He had Civ
en- her his own horse, hunter of fa-
nous strain, and she at once defined
and maintained distance between
them that made talk impossible.
Her short covert riding coat, buttoned
close, marked clearly in the starlight
her erect figure. Light wisps Of loos
ened hair broke free under her soft
felt hat, and when she turned her head
the wind caught the brim and pressed
it back from her face, giving a new
charm to her profile.
He called after her once or twice at
the start, but she did not pause or re
ply, and he could not know what mood
possessed her or that once in fight
in the security the horse gave her, she
was for the first time afraid of him
He had declared his love for her and
had offered to break down the veil OF
mystery that made him strange and
perplexing figure His affairs, what
ever their nature, were now at crisis
he had said; quite possibly she should
never see him again after this ride
AS she waited at the gate she had
known moment of contrition and
doubt as to what she had done. It
was not fair to her brother thus tc
give away his secret to the enemy, but
as the horse few down the rough road