Bridgeton pioneer., 1908-01-16
On the Wings
OF Pegasus.
BY MARTHA COBB SANFORD.
wright, 1907. by M. M. Cunningham.

one hand on MS snouluer, the otner
on the pommel, sprang lightly into the
saddle.
"Heavenlyv' agreed the girl, but the
wistful expression in her eyes belied
her gayety.
"Wud ye be goin' alone?" queried
Mike. skillfully adjusting the folds of
her riding skirt
.It looks that way" laughed Marcia,
.unless / meet Lochinvar on the high
way.
II was only thinkin', Pegasus is pref
ty fr-risky the day, OWN to shtandin'
30 long in the shtall. He's loikely to
run wild ye. Miss Marcia. But av
coorse if Misther Lock-pardon, miss,
I fight the rist ay lis 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 ever 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 doin' any jumpin',
Miss Marcia" he cautioned, as Mar
cia, her proud chin held high, gave
Pegasus a smart flick with her silver
tipped crop and trotted off along the
smoothly raked drive.
"Phwat r-rud wud We be takin', Miss
Marcia?" called the admiring groom
after her. 4i
"The Tanglewood road, I guess"
Marcia answered back over her shoul-
der. sfs1
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 imagina-
tion she had brought Pegasus to
halt at the edge Of the wood and was
watching, spellbound, man and horse
take jump after jump over 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 never attempt it. That was the
condition, in fact, by which Pegasus
was her very own 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 it 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 even an apology for his lack of
conventionality, exclaimed: ga mag
nifcent performance! Please accept
my compliments"
And she, conscious of the rising col
or In her cheeks, had answered smil-
ingly.
1.-THE praise belongs all to Pegasus.
didn't know he was going to do It,"
How incredulous the man had looked!
You mean?" he asked, doubling his
senses.
'That l never took jump before.
My horse followed your lead. I was
never more astonished in all my life."
In that case allow me to pay nv
compliments over again." the man had
then said, looking at her with undis-
gulsed 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 an unknown riding master. And
II further truth be told she had let the
accident of one day dictate the pro-
gramme of the next. But after that
discretion had come to the rescue, and
romance was forced to beat reluctant
out absolute retreat. In other words,
every day for three long monotonous
weeks Marcia had resolutely avoided
tne Vicinity of Tanglewood road.
But today she had closed her ears to
tne prosaic arguments Of prudence
and literally given rein to her fancy.
Inc air was as crisp and the sky as
piue as on that other day. Her heart
thumped with excitement.
Faster, 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,
snlnlng eyes looked out expectantly
over the brown meadows. There was
no one In sight. Well, she would have
one jump anyway.
Pegasus was as keen for the sport
as Marcia herself. He took the wall
nandsomely--not only once, but again
ana again. Then, gate Of bars far
tner down in the wall oa+obiro ~r,r