Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-28
CHAPTER TX.
Down Hill.

That was enough. What David saw be-
low had neither sense nor connection. but
as he shouted the name the figure In the
rumble had started, turned its head and
caused Rosario's likeness to melt from
the cloud.
1T was! It Isl" repeated the young
man. seeing in a daze the carriage go
numbering past the repairs. gather head
way and spin round the fshhook bend OF
the road.
Master. your horses" murmured Sidin.
at his elbow. Your horses are at the
door"
David caught the native by the sleeve
and pointed down hill.
Quickly" he cried. in the vernacular.
The brown chamberlain kept a level
head. Upward. over his shoulder, he
flung the command:
''Coachman! Follow us by the road!
Gallop!'
Downward, with a Jerk of the chin, he
indicated q gap in the foliage.
This way, master. Follow me-
He flung himself recklessIy over the
precipice. as it seemed. and was gone.
David swung after. fell his own height.
blowing an almost perpendicular fur
row down the mountain side. His helmet
flew off into the night like clumsy bird
Below him the whiteness OF 6idin's jacket
slid with amazing velocity toward the
torchlight in a. luminous cloud Of reddish
dust. Along with both men. and from be-
hind rolled and bounded many small
round things, as though the mountain had
let slip an avalanche Of skulls or lively
cannon balls. Once David snatched at
the appearance of bush. which came up
loose in his hand. with the facility Of Q
dream; and a. he shot down toward the
glare OF the f1ambeaux he found in pass
ing astonishment. that this thing he bran
dished was . potato stalk. He flung It
away. dug both hands deep into the slid
ing dust, and. so retarded. fell unhurt over
a bank between the torch bearers. Tur-
nips. carrots and other half-recogntzed
European vegetables fell with him. show
ering from the uprooted garden.
Sidin hauled him to his feet, crying, as
before:
This way. master!'
Through jostling torches the two men
ran straight on across the road. and
drenching darkness OF rattans. among
which they tumbled in q blind. transverse
descent. A path seemed to slant and
dodge drunkenly under foot. BY turns
David ran. fell without warning, rolled,
gained his footing. dove through rattans
as through torn paper. rose from all fours
and ran down the mountain again in fly
ing leaps and bounds. He cared nothing
when he fell, seeing clearly that by this
breakneck course he should soon drop
once more upon tho meandering road.
Now and then. in q bit of clearing, he
shook the dew from his eyes and saw
overhead, where clouds were parting, the
still, blue, swimming light Of day.
He weltered through q green surge OF
stag-horn ferns, when Sidin clutched him
aside from q hidden brink.
"There!" cried the boy.
Mylord and ponies stood motionless In
the road, under their very noses. Two
orange lamps giowed brightly in q kind
Of slanting dell.
Miss Arnot's voice rose, clear ana cool
as q part Of the morning stiffness.
II shall do nothing Of the sort" she de-
clared. go back to your placer
A softer voice replied, In half-audible
It came from the farther side
Of the carriage, where e golden-bowl hat
glimmered vaguely. The rumble showed
vacant. The groom. 1t seemed-Rosario,
or the likeness Of Rosario-stood pleading
by the step.
"Nonsense!' the girl retorted. sharply.
Drive on. coachman. This fellow 10 Inn
pudent"
The driver, whether or not he under
stood. sat on his box like q statue.
Drive on" repeated her resolute voice.