The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-03-18
The House of the Black
! ..... Ring e.szs.es. 1905
III-continued.

CHAPTER
But she did. It was as II she
were strapped on. She anticipated
! every movement and checked n
refined and braced and swung untll
after a moment the scared morse
lighted out full speed on q straight
away trot, as II she were in a sulky
and on the homestretch. 1t was an
experience to shake the life out OF one,
but the girl kept her seat. IL was as
IL she had always ridden that way. IN
three minutes she had h morse IN
| on the mustang. He was perched pre-
car!ously on the ~side-saddle,. and mis-
face was full of apprehension. she
looked over at him and laughed.
This is ine!" she cried, turning TO
him a face fairly radiant with enjoy
ment.
| began to apologize. you see she
never"
But isn't she a little wonder, though?
! NY, can't she gol I had no Idea you
had such a horse" Her hair was shak-
| en- in curly little wisps about her race
and her cheeks were glowing. she
| seemed to be perched carelessly on the
saddle, so that the slightest movement
might shake her Off.
B George, I thought she'd kill you
sure. Aren't you hurt? Aren't you
shaken all to pieces? Walt let me
help you down."
"Pshaw! that's nothing. I'm going
to ride some more. It's fun" She
laughed up at him again in a way that
made her finger-tips prickle.
"Say," he burst out, II don believe
there's another girl in the state who
could have done it. / don't believe
there's half a dozen In the whole
world" There was no mistaking the
tone in the young fellows voice.
"The idea! I can't ride much. But,
say, this is no saddle horse. She's a
trotter."
"I know It,"
Really? Then what are you riding
her for? You're spelling her" .
Young Jim could ave told the exact
truth, but he didn't. He preferred to
keep silent.
you're too heavy in the first place.
You must weigh"-looking him e
with Judging eye-"all of n hundre
and eighty"
"One hundred and eighty-four x
actly."
''That's It, and the mare here goes
barely 900. And she's a fine-boned, sem
to be jumping her around on these
miserable roads, and besides that you
are teaching her so she'll break every
time just at the critical minute. Has
she ever trotted to a sulky?" p
She's got a record of 2:25."
"No-o-o! Why, Mr.. Farthing, I "
dreamed you had such a horse up there.
When did you get her?"
rive had her ever since h was a
colt"
IF 1 had known 1t I should have had
her out before this time, I'll tell you
that" She looked up at hin archly,
and then laughed in mere girlish full
TO- a. A~wE n
In the harness some time? May II"
"why, yes. Certainly"
Right off? This week."
Its muddy for trotting, amt 1t?
The roads are all like this, or worse"
There's the Gum Stump pike" she
suggested. That's fairly hard now"
"All right. Will you go with me
come afternoon this week and try her?
Say Thursday. Will your he asked
eagerly, refining his horse a little closer.
Eyes, I can go Thursday. Say, I be-
lieve IL this mares handled right she's
better than 2:25. lust see what a chest
she's got and what a neck and should
Frs, and see that clean. dainty little
head. Why, her records written all
over her."
We've been pretty busy up to our
place, and I really haven't had time to
exercise her"
"why don't you let the witches do
:t?" she flashed up at him mischievous-
ly. up in the old house there? They're
out, you know"
Are they? Perhaps 1 can" he
laughed. Guess you'd be safer, though;
when shall I call?"
1.-TWO If you can. I've got to be back
by five. Here we are" She drew UP
, the horse suddenly and turned him
, partly around. "We'n have to swap
, horses here; Nv got an errand a mile
down this road. Here now, hootchie
don't you shy when l jump off. Here
here! See that? Haven't / got heI
tanned? Why, in a week she'd be just
like a kitten, wouldn't she? What's
her manner" She had alighted and stood
fondling the horses nose.
"Dolly-Dolly Gray"
Zine! Well, 'goodby, Dolly Gray
She sang the words, then laughed uI
into his face with mere JOY of life. Al
instant later she vas on her own horse
and off down the branch road. A dozeI
bounds and she turned lightly in hel
saddle. .N
"Goodby, till Thursday" she called
Then she swung around the bend out o
sight.
1t was a full minute before he haC
collected himself enough fully to realiz,
what he was about. No wonder tn,
boys lost their heads. Young Jim haC
, lost his for the first time in his life
For him now there was but one thinl
, in all the world, and that was Thurs
day-but much was to happen befor
y y Thursday.
i CHAPTER w.