Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-04-24

cous,.erasoie pains to enIignteu her as
to siward's condition the night be.
fore; perhaps also for Quarter, who
had naturally expected to act as her
gun bearer 10 emergencies.
I'm probably poor shot," she said.
looking smilingly straight into 81.
wards eyes. But II you'll take me-
~ will with pleasure" he said.
Dawson, do we draw for position
Very well. then" And be drew a
slipsof paper from the box offered by
the head keeper.
mo T." said Sylvia, looking over bis
shoulder Come out to the starting
line, Mr.. Siward All the positions are
marked with golf disks. What sort
Of ground have we ahead, Dawson
Kind O. stiff, miss" grinned the
keeper. "Pity your gentleman amt
drawed the meadows an Sachem hill
line. Will you choose your dog siri'
"You have your dog, you know" OBJ
served Sylvia demIrely. and Siward.
glancing among the impatient settlers.
saw one white, heavily feathered dog
straining at his leash and waggh1g
frantically, brown eyes fixed on him.
The next moment Sycamore was
free, deyouring his master with ca
resses, the girl looking on In smiling
silence, and presently, side by side, the
man, the girl and the dog were stroll
ing off to the starting line. where al
ready people were gathering in groups.
selecting dogs, fowling pieces, COM
pairing numbers and discussing the
merits Of their respective lines of ad-
vance.
Ferrall, busily energetic and IN high
spirits. greeted them gayly, pointing
out, the red disk bearing their num-
Der, Z. where 1t stood out distinctly
above the distant scrub of the fore
land.
"You two are certainly up against
itv' he said, grinning. There's only
one rougher line. and you're In for
thorns and water and a scramble
ecross the backbone of the divide.
as 1t any good" asked Siward.
"Good-lf you've got the legs and
Sylvia doesn't play baby
>TY' she said Indignantly. Kemp.
you annoy me. And will bet you
now" she added. flushing. "that your
old cup is ours"
wait" said Siward, laughing. I'VE
may not shoot straight"
"You will. Kemp, III wager what.
ever you dare"
"Gloves? Steckings-against a ciga-
rette case? he suggested.
Done" she said disdainfully, NOV
ing forward along the skirmish line.
with a nod and smile for the groups
now disintegrating into couples-the
Page boys with Eileen Shannon and
Rena Bonnesdel, Marion Page follow
ed by Alderdene, Mrs, vendenning and
Major Belwether and the Tassel girl
conveyed by Leroy Mortimer. Farther
along the line, taking post, she saw
Quarter and Miss Caithness, Captain
Voucher with Mrs. Mortimer and 9TH
ers too distant to recognize moving
across country with glitter and CLINT
of sunlight on slanting gun barrels.
And now Ferrall was climbing into
his saddle beside his pretty wife, who
sat her horse like boy, the white flag
lifted high in the sunshine, watching
the firing line until the last laggard
was in position.
"All right, Gracew said Ferrall brisk.
ly. Down went the white flag. The
far ranged line started into motion
straight across country, dogs at heel.
From her saddle Mrs. Ferrall could
see the advance strung out far afeld
from the dark spots moving along the
Fells boundary to the two couples
traversing the salt meadows to north.
Crack A distant report came family
over the uplands against the wind.
Voucher" observed Ferrall, 'proba-
bly, snipe Hark! He's struck them
again, Grace"
Mrs. Ferrall, watching curiously,
saw Siward's gun fly up as two big
dark spots noated up from the marsh
and went swinging over his head.
Crack! Crack! Down sheered the
black spots, tumbling earthward out Of
the sky.
Duck" said Ferrall. "a double for
Stephen. Lord Harry! How that man
can shoot! Isn't it pity that
He said no more. His pretty wife.
astride her thoroughbred, sat silent,
gray eyes fixed on the distant figures
of Sylvia Lands and Siward, now
shoulder deep in the reeds.
"Was it very bad last nightT she
asked in low voice.
Ferrall shrugged. HE was not Of
fensive. He walked steadily enough
upstairs. When l went into his room
he lay on the bed as If he'd been
struck by lightning, and yet you see
how he Is this morning"
"After awhile" his wife said, 1T Is
going to alter him some day dreadful {
ly, isn't 1t, KempT'
"You mean like Mortimer
eyes, only Leroy was always pig"
AS they turned their horses toward I
the highroad Mrs. Ferrall said, do
you know why Sylvia isn't shooting
with HowardY'
mo" replied her husband indiffer.
entity, 'do your"
"No." She looked out across the sun !
lit ocean, grave gray eyes Frightening {
with suppressed mischief. "But half {
"What?"
ooh, all sorts Of things, Kemp"
"Whafs one Of emp asked Ferrall. ,
looking around at her, But his wife {