Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-01-30

ing eyes and the daintiest red-lipped
mouth imaginable. Vivacity and Miss
Mabel were pals and mischief lurked
In her horizon like the rosy petals in
the sunsets glow.
Il love horses" she babbled, pat.
ting the sleek neck Of her mettlesome
black mount. 81 have an Arabian at
homeland he's simply perfect"
II go In for bulldogs myself" cross
fired the mayor, taciturnly. Nothing
beats a bulldog on the front seat of
al automobile"
with the man under 1t on hts
back" rippled the girl, curbing her
horse as a pig woof.woofed from the
highway into the weedy roadside.
The mayor laughed.
And with a woman In the back
seat pouting at Chawles n telling
him every five minutes in a shrill
voice that that isn't what's the matter
with the machine at ALL" he scoffed.
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
your wife,"
mo, my bulldog"
Striking her horse with the whip,
the girl dashed off ahead.
"Ill race you to Lakeyille!' b
cried over her shoulder.
Bedight's face clouded as he fol
lowed. The horse Miss Arney rode
was a nervous. long-limbed beast with
a wicked eye. She had chosen him
of the pair against the mayors sug-
gestion that she ride the mare he be-
strobe.
Around a turn in the road she flew
on the black, his ears back, the bit
In his teeth. Bedight spurred after
her, but the mare was no match for
her mate. The twisting road kept
the girl from view, but ahead he could
hear the rapid hoof.beats of the fly.
ing animal.
Then, above the noise of he race,
there came piercingly a sharp whistle
followed by a woman's scream!
The mayor urged the mare forward.
At the turn he saw ahead a traction
engine on the turnpike. In the wood
beside the road two grimy workmen
stood over a lying upon the
leaf mold. The mayor rode up and
dismounted. AS he approached the
girl sat up, bewildered. An ugly
scratch on her bride hand was bleed
ing freely.
"He-he SHE'D at the engine" she
explained, gamely, land scraped me
off under this tree"
Bedight's relief was plainly depicted
in his face.
"You are not seriously hurt?" he
inquired, soberly.
NO" she laughed. I'm the words
of Richard ILL.,, Give me another
horse and bind up my wounds"
He tore a linen handkerchief into
strips. knelt before her and carefully
bound up her hand.
Thank YOU" she said, gayly, land
now If you will catch my horse We
will proceed"
One Of the workmen came forward
leading the runaway.
You were lucky" congratulated
the mayor as they set out on the Dad
But be careful of that animal. He's
a fretter."
"a nervous horse and a nervous
woman always fret themselves into
trouble" she said, laughing, but real
ly he wouldn't have thrown me If l
had had a clear field"
I'm not SO sure admonished the
man.
iii yrove IT." cried the girl, spir-
itedly, Swing the black full rein and
dashins off again. like a madcap.
The mayor. raging. set u as the
tail to the kite. They were near the
village now. Down the hill the black
dust Across the bridge and through
the main street they tore like two
leaders on the county-fair course.
And then a baby.cab, propelled by
a small boy, rolled directly in the
path of the mare. Bedight tried to
guide free. but the mare was heavy
on her feet. There was a crash, a cry
from the boy, a wall from the babe
and the devil to pay.
The girl came back trying to hold
her fdgeting horse. Some one grasped
the rein Of the animal.
Get off, LADY," ordered the stolid
individual, who looked like the village
blacksmith. You're arrested"
The mayor in the clutches OF the
village marshal, a burly native. red.
faced, thick-necked, stern, looked at
the girl blankly. Here was a pretty
mess!
And thus they went up the main