The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-13

GCuntInue61
 Suddenly tnerc were q flash of 6 whip and q stinging blow cut across Matt's face Another flash, a scream. and he had wrenched the whip from wrin- kled old hand and was about to lash out with it himself on that convulsive and raging figure. To his dying day he was thankful he threw it from him instead dizziIy refraining as he real. ized it was Chris father and that he must not strike an old man.
 Then the two horses took fright and bolted, hurling Matt to the ground, from which he looked after them on one elbow. oblivious. of everything but Chris safety. But she was as good a rider as her father and as spirited as her own thoroughbred. She was keep ing her seat in that headlong gallop and, leaning back like a little jockey, was jerking manfully at the curb But nothing could have checked those horses. They were uncomfortable in their terror. Straining neck and neck, they diminished and disappeared, 1eav- ing Matt sick with fear
 Christine was not injured, and that evening a plain, middle aged woman came to the boarding house and gave him this note:
 My DarlinS-I am sending you this by my Swiss maid, F1exner, whom don't trust too much She will tell you what have planned for used up, distract ed. that I cannot write it, though have tried twice. at the end, of my cour- age and everything, and if we don't snatch at our happiness now shall lose it for ever It was wicked of him to strike you Wicked, wicked wickedi Let F1exner. do all the talking till you under stand Don't think she is devoted It's because prom ised her 2OOo dols. and. that is a fortune =En settle down and .yodeI for the rest of her days She is very sharp, so be cautious. Oh. If I could only to you myself! But I love you, and she will show you how much Adieu- CHRIS. . P s.-when shall have paid the $oo she insists in advance I shall have $S2 left
 Matt pondered a moment and then inquired, You are Flexner?'"
 ''Yes, sir.''
 twill you please give me your mes sage?"
 My young lady wishes to do very foolish thing,'' said FIexner, with a disappearing purSing of her mouth. t'She wants. you to run away with her tomorrow morning. You are to get carriage, or, better, an automobile and pick her up tomorrow morning at o'clock at the Fair Oaks entrance. Previously I shall have packed small pOrtmanteau and placed it outside the house, and all next day I will inform her father that she is i'll and cannot be disturbed. By this means you reach Middleborough without trouble and get married, and then take the train to New York. From New York you will travel to San Francisco, and there you stay, no matter how poor, how starving, till the opportunity ar rives to go to that place where you have q friend-a very rich, queer man whom once you served and who will take you back in employment" -.
 'tJohn Mort" said Matt to himself.
 ''She says it must be now or not at all. for she cannot be so brave twice. She says desperate people. have to take desperate chances. She asks you to answer yes or no"
 Matt made a nasty calculation. He had almost a hundred dollars. This, with Chris SS2, would easily get them to California, with something to spare He told Flexner that his answer was Yes and put into the word warmth that he hoped she would carry to her mistress. She was to say that he had &97 and would carry out his instruc- tions implicitly; was also to say that she was the pluckiest girl in the world. At half past Matt and DaggaEcOurt were at the gates of Fair Oaks.
 There was a sound of voices, of feet running, of muf1ed exclamations in the dark. A slight figure murmured pantingly, "Oh, Matt, is it you?' and cIung to him. In an instant they were speeding through the deep def1le again, engulfed in the night.
 Matt's recollection of his elOpeInent was both strangely blurred and strangely vivid. He was tired to ex- haustion, and so was Chris. Nothing could keep them long awake, not even the ecstasy of being together. Yet that dawn was the most fmperishable mem OFF of his life as he locked down at her, nestled beside him, with the heavy lashes fringing her cheeks. She opened her sleepy eyes and nestled closer-and closer still when he whis- pered it was their wedding day.
 They say responsibility gravitates to the shoulders fit to bear it. In this case the shoulders were Daggan- courts, and his was the directing spir- it. He had charged himself with the whole business and had thought out q plan of campaign in which the others were merely to do what they were bid. Thar did so meekly. bewildered and