Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-08-21

L1ZABETHi Elizabeth! Race you to the
S G1ois,r re sailed laughing youth from the
IL ground restcssy as his master clrbcd him
What you Billy and | on Bess? I
think notl You take BesS and give Billy and I'll
Oh. no. laughed the boy, teasingy, Bllys too
head y for you He'd pull your hands off,
: Huh, calculated Elizabeth dsdainfuly; she could
handle horse better than her Older brother could and
scorned argument.
Well we can't stand here all day wasting time with
folk who arc afraid to take up challenge, can we
Billy? Come. get alone"
Wait minute" cried Elizabeth, "I'I race you,
but.not on Bess.'
Running up to her she slipped on a riding
skirt. caught up short whip. and was out of doors
and to the stables before her peFgeSed brother
striking him. he wheeled about and rode Billy to the
stable door just as Elizabeth came out leading new
black hunter, that had only arrived the day before
His rolling eye trembling nostrils and nervousy rest
less head were far from reassuring
Elizabeth" exclaimed Ted. aghast "What are
you thinking OF? You cannot ride him. Father would
not let you
Father would let me if I asked him." said the
spoiled Elizabeth. with toss OF her pretty head
" Even ii YOU please to break your necko Here
Elizabeth coaxingiy, you take Billy and I'll take
8 Bess! In racer Why. it would be race to see
who would come in last Thered be fun in that
No shall ride Terry, and I'll beat you to the cross
roads. Master Fed, and back again, too
: Elizabeth don't be FOOLISH" pleaded Ted Here
YOU take Billy and I'll take Terry and we'll have the
race.
:" Ho. no." laughed Elizabeth dersively. YOU must
be bad loser when you would take my very horse
from under me because YOU know he can just leave
You ont OF sight. No no. Teddy you keep your pretty
Billy and when Terry and I get to the crossroads
well wait for you; that is. ii you not FOO far be-
With haunting laugh she put one foot on the rallied
fence beside her. vaued lightly into the saddle and
before she could give the word Terry off like an
from the bow
The swift Looping stride did not disturb Elizabeth in
the least She had been used to horses all her life
and SO far had had her confidence in them be-
her aca to +,n~ ,ni
breathed It IN deep exhardting draughts Tor bit,
to Teddy
She realized then how fast she was going BiIlv
was coming on urged beyond his usual speed by Teds
unsparing whip and yet she looked she could see
the distance increasing between them Turning round
she pulled sharply to slacken her horses pace but the
effort seemed to have the opposite effect.
Sitting well back and catching turn OF the rens
around her hands, she pulled again with long steady
nails '''"''' "AS d "1'u 1S
A short time before size had sprained her wrist, and
now the unusual strain began to tell on it
- On. pShaw! she muttered. : He's just obstinate
he run can't do him any harm and Id better let him
have his way rather than cripple my wrist again
lie IL soon tire out at this rate
She looked back again but Billy was not in sight
She loosed the rcns from her cramped fingers. when
like lightning Terry threw his head into the air, then
down to his chest dragging the slack OF the reins
from her then with the bit between his teeth lie
dashed on with increasing speed.
For a few moments Elizabeth looked grave She
not really alarmed but the situation was alto
gcthcr novel one Never in all her experience had
she been away with before Every other horse in
her fathers stable knew her voice and loved it; but
thls one was stranger, and ii he accustomed
being handled by only, the sound OF her voice
might result in exciting him further.
lie continued to run straight, with barely
from the course he had set himself when he left the
stable yard The crossroads had been left far behind
She hadn't waited for Teddy and Elizabeth wondered
On and and swept the horse Would his pace
never break! We'll. II was useless to borrow trouble.