Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-10-14

lVx gentle ministration, was
IS2S1l coming to her senses. She
49, opened her eyes with
gasp of fear then sat up and looked
apprehensively around.
"She is gone, DEAR" whispered
Anice, divining her meaning, land
Gerald didn't mean what he said. He
was excited, that was all He's all
right again now. Shall help you up
stairs?"
But Mrs. Conover insisted on being
assisted to the nearby sofa.
"All right again, old lady?" asked
Caleb, walking across to the sofa.
Like me to send for the doctor?'
mo. Yes, I'm quite well again
now" stammered his wife. Thank
| you for asking"
Until further notice." Conover an
nounced dryly, looking from one to
the other, these pleasant home
hours are suspended. BY request.
They're too exciting for quiet man
like me. | hope you'll all try to
smother any disappointment you feel.
And now" turning to the butler, who
had come in answer to his ring, "l'll
see If | can't get the taste of this
| farewell performance of the pleasant
hour series out of my mouth before l
start my evenings work. Gaines Or
der Dunderberg brought around in ten
| minutes"
Where are you going?" asked Mrs.
Conover, who had imperfectly caught
the order.
ITO get into my riding Clothes" an
swered her husband from the door
| way.
But you spoke of Dunderberg
You're surely not going to ride Dun.
derberg when I'm so shaken up. I
shall worry So"
"Why? You amt riding him."
"But why not ride Sultan? He's SO
gentle and quiet and"
Lefty! do look as if was on
still hunt for something gentle and
quiet? l want something that'll give
me fight. Something thatll tire me
out and take my mind off black, flop
up pompadours and stocking-leg
gloves. Jerry, you come along with
me. l want talk with you"
ooh, if only that dreadful horse
would die!" sighed Mrs. Conover. "I
never have an instant's peace while
you're riding him."
Rot" growled Calel grinning re-
assurance at the pathetic little figure
on the sofa. There never yet was a
horse couldn't manage or that could
harm me. Come along, Jerry"
| He stamped upstairs to his dressing
room followed by the reluctant still
muttering Gerald
This was by no means the first
time Mrs. Conover had plucked up
| courage to entreat her lord not to ride
his favorite horse, Dunderberg, the
most vicious, tricky brute in all that
horse-breeding State. And never yet
had the Railroader deigned to heed
her request In fact, such opposition
rather pleased him than otherwise,
inasmuch as 1t enhanced, to all listen
ers, his own equestrian prowess.
Caleb Conover was a notoriously
bad rider. Horsemanship must be
learned before the age Of twenty or
never at all. And Conover was we'll
past forty before he threw leg over
saddle. But he loved the exercise,
and took special JOY in buying and
mastering the most unmanageable
horses he could find. How so wretched
a horseman could avert bad falls or
even death was a mystery to all who
knew him.
Both women, with the wondrous
art which their sex alone can master,
had dropped into conventional atti-
tudes with their backs to the light by
the time the intruder's first word was
spoken. AS Give Standish passed
through the portieres into the library
he saw only that it's two occupants
were seated, one reading, the other
crocheting, in polite boredom, each
evidently quite willing that their pro-
longed session of .dreary small talk
should be interrupted.
Good evening, Aunt Lefty" said
Give, as he stopped over the excited
woman and kissed her. II called to
see Mr.. Conover on matter of some
Importance. The footman was not
sure whether he could-or would-see
me or not. So, while l was waiting
for him to find out, thought heard
your voice in here and ventured in.
Good evening, Miss Lanier. You'll
pardon my left hand?"
The right he held behind him, yet
in one Of the mirrors Anice could see
the knuckles were swathed in plaster.
The hand he offered, too, was bruised,
cut and discolored.
"I-I had slight accident" he said
hastily. noting her glance. Nothing
of Importance. L"
"Mr. Conover has told us of it," an
swered Anice. ut was splendid of
you, Give! You risked your life to"
ITO get out of a fight that my own
folly had brought on. That was all.
(To Be Continued.l