The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-04-16
He leaped for his life to the sideavalk

He leaped for his life to the sidevalk.
the surrounding wall, to discover a
single inmate, with the exception Of a
groom exercising a horse and riding
with a curious up and down English
motion that nearly turned the Texans
stomach. He returned to New York
Respondent. but with mental picture
of the home in which she dwelt. which
was like a crumb Of consolation. He
grew the more restless and unhappy
on that account. He did not want
crumbs; he craved the whole loaf.
He visited the theaters and the op-
era, but his thoughts were not with
the painted puppets Of bygone days.
Throughout the mimic tragedies-he
was in no mood for comedy-he saw a
more stirring scene: A piebald bron-
cho, Quivering between his knees as it
tore through a bunch of plunging
steers, a weight in his arms and limp
head hanging backward, a cheek that
had brushed his own. With her ten
cent show would be heavenly enter
tain1nent; without her "Gotterdammer-
ung' was just noise. Others not in
love have thought the same
He spent his time in wandering aim
lessly about, making and rejecting one
1diotic plan after another. He was en-
tirely unknown in the city, lonely, mis-
cradle and as far from meeting the OBJ
ject of his affection as though he were
back again in the Lone Star State.
On the morning Of the fifth day OF
his suspense while crossing upper
Fifth avenue he was nearly run down
by coffee colored touring car which
recklessly swung around corner,
skidding as it took the turn. He leap
ed for his life to the sidewalk, turned
anu was about to express a candid
opinion of the driver when his sulphur
GUS salutation was exchanged for one
OF surprise and pleasure. The Offend
ing automobile had come to a stop. and
in it's solitary occupant Richard recog-
ntzed friend Of former days, one
George Henry Fitz-Clarence de Courcy
Howard, earl of Croyland.
This gentleman had spent several
months with Richard on the ranch in
Texas. and, while the two men had
few tastes in common, still a friend
ship knit upon the boundless plains is
usually more lasting than one contract
ed in the whirl and rush Of city life.
In general appearance the two were
not unlike, both blends, rather tall and
marked with the branding iron Of Wig
orous manhood. although Richard was
the younger, the fresher and the more
v1rlle. The earl had been in America
Tor perhaps year, seeking by various
schemes to rehabilitate an impoverish-
ed estate and in all his undertakings
meeting with Indifferent success. He
had become the sole owner of a salt
ed" mine in Colorado; he had recouped
in Birmingham real estate, only to
drop his pile" again in Texas cattle.
At present his bow was strung with
two widely differing cords-one a Sc
cret mission, with a lucrative promise.
for an oriental government regarding
The surreptitious purchase of subma-
r1nes and other war material in viola
ton of the neutrality laws; the other a
somewhat hackneyed scheme Of ex-
changing an earl's coronet for a seven
figured bank account, the figure Of the
necessarily accompanying lady being a
matter of little moment.
The meeting between the two was
cordial, not to say affectionate. "A
friendly face in New York to Richard
was like water hole in the desert.
TO the earl he was as welcome as a
"f' pun note when, I'm strapped, by
gadv Lord Croyland suggested a spin
In his motor, and Richard, who had
nothing but leisure on his hands and