The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1910-04-28
for the lines that dangled across the

Tor the lines that dangled across the
dashboard.
Hartigan saw what she was at
tempting to do and he followed her.
gaining the point of vantage a second
later. Already Esther had the lines
in hand, and as Hartigan planted his
feet against the front of the sleigh.
she thrust them between his fingers.
Pull! Pull with all your might.
Crane!" she urged.
Hartigan threw himself back with
all his weight. but the speed of the
horses did not diminish one hoof.clat.
ter. In another second Esther had
gripped her hands on his, but their
combined efforts didn't have any ef.
feet except to keep the plunginR
hosses In the middle Of the road.
We've got them now, all right. II
we'll keep 4 steady grip!" the girl
cried into Hartigan's ear.
She was right. The strain soon be.
gan to tell on the runaways. One Of
them let the bit slide back into it's
mouth and broke from q run into q
heavy gallop. This checked the speed
OF the other three. Hartigan now
pulled on the reins with renewed
strength, and in 200 feet every horse
was going at trot. In another hun.
dred they were brought to a stand.
still just in front of slippery curve.
Hartigan. leaving the lines in Es.
theirs hands, leaped out of the sleigh,
ran forward, and grasped the bits.
The animals were trembling violently,
as horses often d, after they have
run on with q vehl..e behind them.
He let them stand for few minutes
until some of the nervousness had
worn OF. Then, with the help of the
other men in the sleigh he turned
them around.
At this moment the driver, painting
for breath and covered with snow,
came running up. He was overjoyed
at finding nobody killed or injured.
Esther and Hartigan were almost
overcome by expressions of admira-
tion for their presence of mind and
quick action. But Hartigan knew
that their success in stopping tho
horses was due to the GIRL and he felt
a peculiar Joy in giving all the credit
to her.
"She just told me what to do," he
explained. land If it hadn't been for
her some of us now might be en-
route to the hospital!"
Miss Maltney, who had sprained her
ankle in the leap into the back of
the Sleigh was taken home first.
Hartigan and Esther were then left
at the Chapman house, whose large
windows cleaned through the snow
laden branches. On the steps of the
big veranda Hartigan stopped.
Esther" he said, I've learned one
thing tonight"
What is that?" she asked.
THAT real courage seldom shows It.
self unless it is needed, and then It is
worth thousand times more than
that superficial quality We call dash
have chosen . new model for my
heroine. She is the dearest, bravest
little girl in all the hemisphere,
think"
The girls eyes cleaned. Il think I
understand" she answered, quietly,
"and l am SO glad"
But there's one thing about It all
that troubles me-" frowned Hartigan.
Il wish more than anything else that
my heroine would live out the last
chapter in real life!"
ter?" ventured Esther.
why, my dear girl. as the story
isn't an 1bsen tragedy, she finally
weds the fellow who loves her.
Would you, DEAR"
But at that moment a considerate
man in the moon yelled his face with
Q cloud.