Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-26


present Brancaster. had planned tina
the little Lady Diana and the youug
Hubert should unite the fortunes anC
lands OF the two almost princelJ
houses But her father had been kill
ed and bis father too.
The young earl. without the repress
ing authority Of parent. had be-uT
life as a boy with too much money
and no sense Of responsibility His
mother had died soon after he was
born. He had not been a bad natured
lad. but IS 4 little boy he had been pre-
cocious. What. under proper training
would have been clean. clear. pure
craftsmanship as thorough as that of
Lady Diana herself became in him g
mere gaming spirit He cambled with
nice observance Of etiquette and of
| honor. but still he defied chance. As
a result he got into the hands OF the
I money lenders. and what wasn't en-
tailed was mortsared.
There were women. too. in this
| young mans life. but or these Lady
| Diana knew nothing. But, though
| they came and went. they never seem
/ ed 70 have penetrated to the core OF
! the young Hubert 10 infect him with
the virus OF diseased Imagination. The
/ boy seemed asleep and too good ma
I tured 10 put his house in order. His
/ friends predicted that IL he ever real
/ " aroused himself he would rid him
self Of them effectively, clearly and
finally
Diminishing the supposedly dissolute
young earl from her thoughts, Lady
Diana came TO the last fence which
separated her from the glen in which
the Falconhurst kennels and stables
stood. From the level plateau immedi-
ateIy above the glen there fioated
down 10 her the shouts OF the lads
on the backs of the prides of the mar
quis' stables. Beverley had held the
for the moment Jockeys in stern re
preston. but the stimulating air. the
vast tonic of nervous horseflesh be
meath their knees and the thrill of
mad motion could not keep the lads
entirely silent.
In revolt n the things that she dimly
sensed as governors of her whole after
life Lady Diana set her mount at The
stihiy rallied fence before her. As the
pack. seeming the food waiting in the
kennels. swept through the fence Lady
Diana went over II.
In midair She saw a picture. wildly
auI anxiousIy. Under the royal oak
sat an artist sEetchin-. though far on
one side the pack streamed through.
So intent was he on his outline Of the
kennels and mushrOOmed stables that
he gave no attention to the hounds
and apparently was not conscious OF /
the approach hurting through the air !
of the lady on her palfrey.
The original impetus Of Lady Diana's 7,
leap would have carried woman and .
horses SQuarely into the person of the /.
artist. But the moment the girl had .
seen him paralyZing inhibition had .
stayed the force Of horse and girl al .
most in the air. and both lost their
CARRYING power. making n very hung
ling finale Of what had been originally I
Il very fine movement.
But. rs II was. the easel. made on the
moment by the artist out Of twi-s and
dead branches. had been shattered by
a movement of one Of the hunters
sleek legs. and. worse. an iron shOd
hoof had made an ugly mark upon the
artists left wrist, which had laid AT
rest on the moss while his right hand
sketched
in trembling hurry Lady Diana
swung from the saddle. Her mount.
IiSreG1rded. was allowed To amble
away and brOwSeI without restraint.
"Oh. I'm 50 sorry, Pray. tell me that
you're not hurt-Severely.' she said
and raised her eyes to the strangers
face.
She saw clean cUt features. blacl,
ya-ff
II within. in them. though there must
nave been pain in that wrist. and
Vavy. black hair The man was I'm
-ouGh t,yeedS. and n cloth nat OF his
,uit'S pattern lay little way of.
Not n bit" he returned carelessly.
1t was really very stupid Of me not
q have noticed n pack i'm full cry for
- kennel feeding and so inspiring an
,biect rs their mistress"
He had covered his hurt with his
handkerchief and knotted and twisted
I before the girl could offer TO minis
or 10 him. Such absorption can only :
e excused in very great artist. and
uch ] assure you / can scarcely hope (
o be"
His deprecatinc motion brought his I
pen sketch book nearer the girl and I
er eyes fell upon its pages.
Why. there's the kennels" she ex /
laimed. "Oh. mustn't think If your 1
ketches. but your hurt, am pro- Q
oundly sorry. II / could do any
hing a
"A little thing that can attend To
lsily after 4 Bit he said. Then. IN
,urteous anxiety 20 turn the current p
, her thoughts. he went on: 1T really r
YES an idea OF them. doesn't II: b
ee. here are some OF the dogs" n
In the girls hand now was the book. J
I've noticed you about sketchinG for Il
e past four mornings" she confess &
/ turning tho pages And. ah: See.
sre's Dido Fl
With laugh the artist answered: b
I'm glad it's good enough 10 recog- pl
ze.-
II draE IirtIa r-xaaIf ror t--o-