Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-05
where in the pasture. Listen!--it
sounds as If horse we're coming over

lQeTe was, lHuoOu, b nearer Cuul
and scramble. followed by startled
snort: and then a dark bay horse
with white foot and star, ridden By
la hatless, wide-eyed boy, burst swiftly
| out of the smother only few yard:
away, ]eaped the last flat-lying juniper
bush and halted, sweating and painting
at the door.
cts Zeb!" cried Tilly, with relief
"Well. Zebedee Thyng! What are you
thinking of, riding such crazy rig;
and good land, that's Belinda! What
ever will your father say?"
The boy slipped to the ground and
leaned against the horse, breathing
hard, and bending his head sidewise
with motion Of his hand to the girls
to keep still. He was evidently listen
ing; and Tilly took fright again, and
caught her breath in a whimper. But
Axy sharply babe her keep quiet, and
she tried to control herself, only striv.
ing nervously to unite her apron
strings, and smiling softly as they
pulled into tighter and tighter knots,
and refused to come undone. Zeb
glanced at her impatiently, and spoke
to Axy.
They've sent out more parties to
bring in horses" he said. Axy nod
ded. She knew he meant the British,
who had been quartered for q week
and had already carried of many
horses from the neighboring farms.
do they want Belinda7" she asked.
eyes," said Zeb; they do. She's
the finest horse anywhere round, and
they've heard OF her-seen her, too,
when father was at the camp looking
after some of their sick soldiers. One
of his patients there thought It was
rather poor pay for doctoring to steal
the Doctors horse, suppose, for he
sent him warning to hide her. We
got it just in time. You ought to have
seen father! You know how proud he
is of Belinda. He vowed and declared
he'd, shoot the first outrageous red
coat that dared put his finger on her
hide; and the more he talked the
angrier he made himself. He threw
his wig across the room, and pounded
his fist on the table, and pretty nearly
danced. he was so angry! Then he
saw / had to laugh, and he tried to be
calm and dignif1ed and take pinch Of
SNUFF; but his hand shook, and he took
80 much he nearly sneezed his head
of: and before he could stop kerr
chooing, we saw them coming up the
street."
lilly, who had siggled family. grew
serious again, and asked breathlessly:
What did he do?"
"He stopped Just second to think"
answered Zeb, land then he told me to
take her and get away with her. He
said he wouldn't even tell me where to
20, so he could say honestly he didn't
know where she was; but he guessed
IL used my wits I'd think of the best
place. I meant to take her over to
Uncle Joseph's by way Of the woods,
and that's the place l started for; but
there are parties out on both roads,
and I couldn't get there. was chased
and I only got away by coming over
the stone wall and right up the hill
here: and couldn't have done that
but for the fog. They didn't dare fol-
low over such rough ground when they
couldn't see and didn't know the way.
I don't know how I did 1t safely my
SELF"
"It's a queer place to hide" said
Axy, anxiously-"the top of the tallest
hill in the country"
TITS worse than queer" agreed Zeb,
ruefully. Belinda can't go any
farther-she's shaking all over, poor
thing: look at her! And she cast
shoe, coming over the wall. II the fog
holds, and they come, maybe can hide
her down the side little way. IN
clump of bushes. They couldn't tell
what was horse and what was bar
berry-bush ten yards off. But II 1t
clears there's no chance at all. They'll
inst come up and take her. They can
see her half mile away, II we try to
escape by the pastures; and there's
nowhere to hide her II we stay
"Rut do they know where you went
to-" asked Axy.
care you sure they'll look for you
lp here at all?"
"Oh, yes; they know" Zeb answered,
"There-there's the sun!
Sure enough, the mist parted, and
both submits Of the hill shone bright
and clear, with the cresting boulders
and low bushes standing plain against
the glistening blue. ;,
"Whatever shall we do?" walled
lilly. "Oh, dear! or, dear! on. Axy.
10 you suppose they've started yet?
It's so thick in the hollows, can't see.
oh. isn't that something red?
mo, it isn't" snapped Axy, who was
ant to be cross when she was excited;
'and do be quiet, lilly, and let US
think. IF there was only any sort or
big enough to hold BE.
linda, But there isn't; there's not
"Put her in the barn." interrupted
lilly. dtstractedly. 49,,
"The barn! Where do people look
For horses first Of all, simpleton?
cried Axy, with scorn.
"Well, the house, then,' suggested
Tilly, timidly.
Zeb laughed rather shakily, and an
gwered that Belinda wasn't parlor
company, and he guessed Mrs binns
would have a word to say; besides, IT
couldn't be done; and II 1t could, 1t
would get them into trouble; and 1t
wouldn't be any use, anyway.
But Axy broke in abruptly on his
objections. no.,
"WeU try it," she cried. "1t's the