The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-02-27

Pfu VIM q SFoaA and WhlStling Of
resieased air brakes at small station.
tne sned Of which projected over the
train and made further reading i'm
pracllcaDie. Striving drew out his
watch and noted that they were twen-
~ minutes behind the schedule, threw
the printed brief of the Surrogate
Court OF Appeals ANONYMOUSLY upon
the H00r OF the ear and shut his ewes.
When at last he opened them the train
mad moved out of the station and the
car was light again. but he did not
PICK up the brief. He saw that some
one had taken the chair ahead of him.
IL mad been empty before Over the
top appeared q derby hat, that was all.
1t amused Striving to study character.
ne had found the dress and luggage
OF travellers often good index, but
mere all to be seen was the top of a
derby hat and no luggage at all. so
ne turned again to watching the scene
without. 1t was growing more beau
tiful every moment, large open roll
Ing country, not too fiat, not too hilly.
just exactly right he thought-for
hunting.
He leaned toward the windows and
rested his elbows on the sill, his chin
In his hands, staring. The chair ahead
turned slightly and from under the
derby hat pair Of eyes regarded him,
but Striving did not notice. he was
riding to hounds. 1t had come back to
him with rush, years of it, hard rid
Ing, straight riding, and slight flush
appeared on his now rather pale
cheeks.
They were passing through beauti-
ful valley At one place stout post
and-rail fence guarded the tip Of .
ploughed field on the side of a hill.
At the bottom a broad stream ran
swiftly. The approach to the fence
was good, solid turf
Splendid" Striving murmured.
but, the deuce, look at the 'drop, and
the plough soft, too" He clenched
his hands.
VINO cares, who cares, we can do 1t,
Keep your hooks well under you and
your head UP. Now! we'll over, Gypsy,
and ware the brook. Go it lightly,
through this plough, you'll need all
your power soon, the brook looks
nasty and wide. Now for it where that
old tree is down.
Don't" voice whispered, mot
there, not there, the bank gives way,
and its twenty feet across,
Striving started. The chair ahead
had swung around and was pointing.
Ride to the right, to the right
where the willow is. Ride hard and
give him his head when you're there"
Never, Striving did not look
around. I'm sure hounds went across
there. We ride as the crow flies, where
that old tree is down. II it's twenty
feet wide we'll SWIM
The train rumbled across a trestle
and fifty feet below the stream flowed
rapidly.
There. there's the place, know /
can do 1t. The landing looks good
from here"
Striving stretched out his arms his
fingers tightly gripped. He was riding
the brook. Then instantaneously it
passed from view.
You see. you see" he cried, not
looking around, II knew could do it,"
A ripple of laughter replied and
Striving swung swiftly around The
laugh still rippled and Striving turned
bright red. He could feel the hot flush
creeping up to his hair, he wasn't
quite sure whether he was more en-
barrassed or angry.
Look here, what did you say?" He
swung the chair ahead around He
faced pair of blue eyes and white
teeth that flashed habit, and pair
of smart-looking boots.
Obi
The ripple still rippled on.
Il beg your pardon, I'm SO sorry.
saw your hat, you know, and thought
you were a man. he made move
ment as if to rise and bow, but hand
touched him and the ripple ceased.
Don't move" the voice cried, "or
you'll miss the best of all. We're
coming now,-to the 'lane'"
The lane!"
"Of course, the lane! thought
everyone knew the lane. There now,
just behind that house. I'm and out,
you know, and four foot six each way.
Oh, but loved the way you rode the
Darlington Brook, no one ever jumped
it there before:" The eyes twinkled
and the lips were compressed to keep
the laughter back Striving threw
back his head and laughed, laughed as
he hadn't done for years.
And now for the lane!"
Come on the girl replied
They we're both riding now and had
forgotten the rest of the car.
Fearful rate we're going Striving
smiled. The train was making up time.
The girl laughed.
"Frightful. we'll never get out of the
lane alive You see, there 1t is, right
there, don't you see, just this side of
that house. That's Farmer Twillin's
house. He detests to have us go
through. Now you ride there, just
where the top rail is down. It's the
easiest place, we always put the nov
ices over there!"
She glanced at Striving out Of the
corner of her eye. He did not observe
the fun that was there. He was watch
ing the lane.
"I'll not" he protested. There's
where go, where they've put in
brand new rail. A fall will do me
good. You go where the rail is down,
that's the place for a woman"
"I'll not" the girl replied in turn;
"if you go there. l co. and the fun
died out of her eyes and she bit her
lip with her teeth. To both the thing
seemed extraordinarily real
The lane was approaching fast and
neither smoke Then like liphtnino tho