The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-03-19
On the Wings
OF Pegasus.
Copyright. 1901. by M. NJ. Cunningham
BY MARTHA COBB SANFORD.

"a foine day fr a canter. miss"
commented genial Mike as Marcia.
one hand ON his shoulder, the other
on the pommel, sprang lightly into the
saddle.
Heavenly agreed the girl, but the
wistful expression I'm her eyes belied
her gayety.
"'Wud We be goin' alone" queried
Mike, skillfully adjusting the folds Of
her riding skirt.
"It looks that way" laughed Marcia,
unless I meet Lochinyar on the high
way.
81 was only thinkin', Pegasus is pref
ty fr-risky the day, OWN to shtandin'
so long in the shtall. He's loikely to
run wild We, Miss Marcia. But nv
coorse ff Misther Lock-pardon, miss,
I fight the rist av SIS name-is goin' to
meet ye''-
Marcia interrupted him with a merry
laugh.
"Oh, Pegasus and I will get along
all right. How his coat shines! No
one eyer took such good care Of him
as you do, Mike. He'd win the blue
ribbon at any horse show"
Mike grinned appreciatively and tip
ped his cap.
"Now don't ye be dom any jumpin',
ella, her proud chin held high, gave
Pegasus a smart flick with her silver
tipped crop and trotted OF along the
smoothly raked drive.
"Phwat r-rud wud ye be takin', Miss
Marcia? 2" called the admiring groom
| after her.
1.-THE Tanglewood road, I guess"
Marcia answered back yer her shout
der.
There really was no guesswork about
1t. Since a certain memorable day
nearly a month ago no other road had
held for Marcia any charm-and yet
for three long weeks she had persist
emily taken another direction.
Now, as she turned toward the high
way that led into the old winding road,
her thoughts galloped ahead Of her
horses hoofs, and already in magma
ton she had brought Pegasus to a
halt at the edge of the wood and was
watching, spellbound, a man and horse
take jump after jump ove the mead
Ow wall.
How she longed to try it herself!
Pegasus vaulted beautifully, she knew.
She had seen him take the bars many
a time when out at pleasure. But she
had promised her father that she
would lever attempt It. That was the
condition, In fact, by which Pegasus
was her very W possession.
Then she remembered with a thrill
how Pegasus had suddenly started and
before she could control him had fol-
lowed the lead Of the other rider and
bounded with the grace of a greyhound
over the meadow wall. The unexpect-
edness Of 1t had quite taken her breath
away. But, oh, was there ever any
sensation so exquisite?
Before she could recover from her
surprise the unknown rider had gal
loped up beside her and, dispensing
with ven an apology for his lack OF
conventionality, exclaimed: "a mag
nifcent performance! Please accept
my compliments"
And she, conscious Of the rising col
OF in her cheeks, had answered smil-
ingly.
"The praise belongs all to Pegasus.
I didn't know he was going to do it."
How ~incredulous the nan had looked!
"You meanF" he asked, doubling his
senses.
"That I never took a jump before.
My horse followed your lead. / was
never more astonished in all my life."
I'm that a 8 allow me to pay my
compliments over again." the man had
then said, looking at her with undis-
guised admiration. Pegasus has a
wonderfully clever rider. =
And then-Marcia blushed to recall
it-she had spent the rest Of that glori-
Gus morning In taking vaulting lessons
from ar unknown riding master. And
II further truth be told she had let the
accident OF n day dictate the pro-
gramme Of the next. But after that
discretion had come to the rescue, and
romance was forced to beat a reluctant
but absolute retreat. In other words,
every day for three long monotonous
weeks Marcia had reso1Htely avoided
the vicinity Of T~anglewood road.
But today she had closed her ears to
the prosaic arguments OF prudence
and literally given rein to her fancy.
The air was as crisp and the sky as
blue al on that other day. Her heart
thumped with excitement.
Easter, Pegasus, faster" she urged,
touching the horses shining tanks
with her crop. Were almost there"
When the edge of the wood was
reached she drew rein and with eager,
shining eyes looked out e~xpectantly
over the brown meadows. There was
no one in sight. Well, she would have
n jump anyway.
Pegasus was as keen for the sport
as Marcia herself. He took the wall
handsomely-not only once, but again
and again. Then, a gate of bars far
Their down in the wall catching Mar
cia's attention, she decided to put her
horse at that. 1t was higher than the
wall and would be glorious to fly v
Just as Pegasus sprang for the leap
the sound of hoofs galloping hard be-
| hind her caused Marcia to look back.
She recognized Mike on her fathers
saddle horse, and the next moment,
how she never knew, found herself
hurled high over Pegasus head.
AS luck would have 1t, she landed on