Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-19

Here was sOuHu Ill lHe ulstdHCc voices shouting, but not the voice l loved. We all looked. and black horse with man on his back sprang into sight like a rocket gone wrong. It was Jim, looking more beautiful than any picture of man ever paint ed, his face transported With the joy of battle and triumph and that fiend in horse shape under him doing all he knew to kill.
 It was terrible and yet splendid thing to see, that struggle. l hadn't known how l adorec Jim and how admired him till saw him with that smile on his face, sitting the black devil as If he were one with him In spite of the brute's murderous plunges
 The two shot past the house like q streak of lightning. then wheeled back again. the horse clearing ditch and five barred fence from one meadow into another, but he Gdn't jump in spite of Jim: rather was 1t in spite of him self Then there was q series of mad buck jumpings, leaps into the air and downward plunges. The beast sat on his launches and then reared up with great bound. to waltz on his hind legs and paw the air, snorting. But still Jim smiled and kept his seat with out the least apparent effort.
 "Jove. That fellow can ride"' nut tered Stan, taken out of himself by his mans admiration for man.
 Its Jim Brett-my Jim Brett" l cried. What do you think of him now?'
 But it didn't occur to Stan to an swer. don't suppose he even heard. He was far too deeply absorbed in the passing drama, and in a minute more Jim and the black horse were out of sight again.
 But was not at all afraid for him now. l was only proud and sure-as sure as I was of life-that he would conquer.
 Nobody spoke. Mir. Trowbridge and Mir Jacobsen, the disagreeable cowbell man, who owned the horse. ran by as fast as they could go. too excited to glance at the house. Mrs Trowbridge and the girls had come from the kitch- en and were hanging over the nearest fence. Patty was whimpering a lit tle so I guessed all fin flash that she had cared for Jim.
 We stood still in our places and watched. 1 could hear my heart beat, and 1t had not time to calm down De- fore Jim came riding back on the black horse-a changed black horse, all win ming airs and graces, to cover shamed penitence now.
 The creature pirouetted up the side road, and Jim stopped him at the yer. anda, batting the throbbing black neck, Well, believe I'll buy him myself" he said. smiling to me, and then he saw Mrs. Ess Kay and my brother
 By love, Marlborough" said Stan. your double?"
 Marlborough it is," said Jim, while I listened, dumb with wonder. How are you, duke? I was rather expect. ing you might turn up, but I cabled to you last night to Boodles' and wrote you this morning on the chance you hadn't started
 Well, I'm blowed" remarked Stan, most inelegantly. Are you Brett or Is Brett you, or is he somebody elseY'
 My name is James Brett Harbor- ough. Perhaps you didn't know or had forgotten" said Jim, and then, jump. ing off the horse and throwing the lines to Mir Jacobsen, who had just trotted anxiOusly up, he came to me. Will you forgive me-" he asked.
 "I don't know yet what it's all about I said duly.
 Miss Woodburn knows and Mohuns- leigh knows. You see he and I were old pals, so I told him I was in love with his cousin and was going to try hard to win her in my own way. You remember Mohunsleigh'S friend liar borough. You said the other day you were sorry for him and-you wished him joy of his love affair" i 'Oh, is that the reason you pretended 1 to be only Jim Brett:"
 T am Jim Brett. But now you un- derStand, will you forgive me-" 1 'I don't understand yet. except that you must have been afraid I might care more for your money than for you if l knew Oh, how could you think such q thing of me? But about the Steerage"-
 That was beforehand. It had noth- ing to do with you, though everything that was to come came from it. I was abroad for a couple of years and a friend I knocked against in Paris last June bet me $1000 that in spite of all my queer experiences I wouldn't have the pluck to rough it in the steeragc of big ocean liner. took the bet and won it. If it hadn't been for seeing you l should have gone west almost at once after landing in New York, but l had seen you, so I stayed. Luckily for me I'd met Miss Woodburn often in San Francisco and once here She recognized me in my steerage get up and was the only one who did, but her tact kept her from spelling sport. She guessed there must be game on and