Eastern Colorado times., 1913-01-10


ton to Lakevills. he was ungracious
enough to deplore the fate that bound
him 10 do as directed-and. besides,
there was double reason why he
should not go to Lakeville. The game
warden and his company Of quick ar
resters undoubtedly loafed at the vii
lage livery stable and would bag him
instanter. He suggested Hornby as a
trading post, dwelling enticingly upon
the advantages offered by the enter
prising merchants of that four-cor-
sniffed coldly and commanded him to
bring forth the two saddle horses
owned by Mine Host.
The mayor went away with misgiv-
ings-but as the pair cantered OF
down the wood road. his spirits rose
with the sun. Who could be distrait
and gloomy with. such bewitching
little lady as Miss Mabel Arney smil-
ing upon him from the saddle oppo-
site?
Miss Arney was petite. with hair
Of that violet black color, big. laugh
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.
II love horses" she babbled, pat
ting the sleek neck Of her mettlesome
black mount. II have an Arabian at
home-and he's simply perfect"
II go in for bulldogs myself" CROSS
fired the mayor. taciturnly. Nothing
beats bulldog on the front seat Of
an automobile"
with the man under It on his
back" rippled the girl, curbing her
horse as pig woof-woofed from the
highway into the weedy roadside.
The mayor laughed.
And with a woman in the back
seat pouting at Chawles and telling
him every five minutes in shrill
with the machine at ALI" he scoffed.
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
your wife?"
mo. my bulldog"
Striking her horse with the whip.
the girl dashed off ahead.
"Pll race you to Lakeville!" she
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-
strode .
Around turn in the road she few
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 the race,
there came piercingly sharp whistle
followed by q woman's scream!
The mayor urged the mare forward.
At the turn he saw ahead traction
engine on the turnpike. In the wood
beside the road two grimy worlSmen
stood over a woman lying upon the
leaf mold. The mayor rode up and
AS he approached the
girl sat up, bewildered. An ugly
scratch on her bride hand was bleed
ihg. freely.
"ae-he SHE'D at the engine" she
explained, gamely, "and scraped me
off under this tree"
Bedight's relief was plainly depicted
in his face.
"You are not seriously hurt?" he
inquired, soberly.
mo-" she laughed. "In 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. "and
now II 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 road.
But be careful of that animal. He's
a fretter."
IA nervous horse and nervous
woman always fret themselves into
trouble" she said. laughing. "but real
ly he wouldn't have thrown me If
had had clear field"
I'm not so sure" admonished the
man.
''Ill prove IT." cried the girl, spir-
itedly. giving the black full rein and
dashing of again. like madcap.
The mayor. raging, set out as the
tail to the kite. They were near the
village now. Down the hill the black
1859 u,,o n rooo horoo IN a Sw}rJ of