The Washington herald., 1910-07-16
THE SECRET OF TONI
By MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL.
Author Of The vo 1.-THE srriEhty Romance Of Msr.ae DC

teau Bernard that. one morning Sergt.
Duyal. the father Of Denise. heaved a
heavy sign as ne paced the tanbark in
the riding school at Beaupre and mourn
fully surveyed the group Of recruits who
were to take their first lesson in voltige
or circus riding. There wera about fifty
of them. They all came from Paris, and
recruits from Paris are VIGOROUSLY hard
TO break in. They feel a profound con-
tempt for "rurals." a term which
they apply 10 everybody outside OF
Paris. The sergeant. running his eye
over them, had no difficulty in sorting
them out. so TO speak. according to their
different degrees Of incapacity About
half were clerks, walters. and artisans
apprentices, town-bred and certain never
TO get over their fear and respect for
horses. The other half were porters and
laborers and the like. who could be
taught TO stick on a horses back, but
would never acquire any style In riding
Among them was a stupid-lookinR
young fellow, rather short, but well
made, with very black eyes and closely
cropped black poll. whom Sergt Duvai
did mot recognize in the least as his old
friend Toni, the unknown aspirant for
the hand OF Denise. TOMS apparent fear
and dread in the company OF the horses
had kept the troopers In a roar Of laugh
Ter ever since he had Joined His awk-
wardness in the simple riding lesson of
the day before showed what a hand he
would make of 1t in the more difficult
voitige. and his companions had hustled
him 10 the first place in line so they
could see the fun
Just then Sublieutenant Verney walked
into the riding hall. He was the same
Paul Verney. only he was twenty-five
years old, and was known and loved by
every man and by every horse in the
regiment. This triumph was something
to be laid at the feet OF Lucie Barnard.
whom he had loved ever since that Au-
gust afternoon IN the park at Bienville,
when she had taken his book away from
him and his heart went with the book.
Sublieutenant Verney was always pres
ent at the riding drill. whether II was
his turn or not, and ne dreamed dreams
IN which he saw himself as another NJ
rat or kellerman. leading vast masses
OF heavy cavalry 10 overwheim infantry:
Ter he held 10 the French idea that men
on horses can ride over men on foot
Ills dog Powder. a smart little fox ter
rier. was at his heels.
Now, Paul Verney was an especial IA
vorite with Sergt. Duval, who had known
him as boy and man, who had seen sub
heaienants come and go. and knew tha
breed well. He looked gloomily at Paul
as he came I'D and ran his eye casually
over the recruits.
Pretty bad lot. Ell. sergeantT' said
Paul
Dreadful. SIR. II would have broken
your heart TO have seen them IN the
riding school yesterday. Not one OF
them hes any more notion of riding than
a bale Of hay has"
'Ahl Wen, you can lick them into shape
II anybody can" was Pauls reply TO this
pessimlstio remark.
The specially trained horse on which
greenhorns learned was then brought IN.
he was an intelligent old charger. and
when he stood stoek-stiIl. with a TROOPER
holding up his forefoot. bis small. bright
eye Travelled over the recruits. Then
suddenly dropping his head. he gave
forth long. low whlnny OF disgust
which was almost human in its siRnIh-
canoe.
Old Caporal even laughs at themI''
cried the sergeant Now, come here,
you bandy-legged son Of a sailor, and
get on that horses back. and dc it with
a single spring"
This was addressed TO Toni. who
lurched forward so clumsily that it was
seen there was little hope for him.
TO BE CONTINUED TO-NoRRow