The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1914-03-04

was a passion and horseflesh a fetish!
"Oh. dear" mouned Nancy Cha.
mers. I've bet six pairs OF gloves on
Quint Carter. Never mind il il has to
be anybody else, I'd rather it we're
Mr.. Valiant It's about time Damory
Court got something after Rip-Van-
Winkltng it for thirty years. Besides,
he's giving US the dance, and | love
him for that, Quint still has chance,
though. If he takes the next two, and
Mr.. Valiant misses"
Katharine looked at her with lit
tie smile. He won't miss" she said
She had seen that look ON his face
before and read 1t Alright John Va.
liant had striven in many contests. not
only OF skin but OF strength and dar-
ing, before crowded grand stands. But
never in all his life had he SO desired
to pluck the prize. His grip was tense
| on the lance as the yellow douhlet
and olive plume OF Castlewood shot
away for last time-and failed. An
! instant later the Knight Of the Grim
son Rose flashed down the lists with
the last ring on his pike.
And the tourney was won.
In the shouting and hand-clapping
| Valiant took the rose from his hat
band and bound it with shred of his
| sash to his lance-point. AS he rode
| slowly toward the massed stand the
| whole field was SO still that he could
hear the hoofs of the file of knights
behind him. The people were on their
feet.
The mounted herald blew his blast.
| by the Majesties Of ST Michael and
ST. George" he proclaimed, Il declare
| the knight Of the Crimson Rose the
victor Of this our tourney, and do
| charge him now to choose his Queen
of Beauty. that all may do her hom-
age.'
Shirley saw the horse coming down
/ tho line, its rider bareheaded now,
and her heart began to race wildly.
Beyond wanting him to take part, she
had not thought. She looked about
her, suddenly dismayed, People were
smiling at her and clapping their
hands. From the other end of the
stand she saw Nancy Chalmers throw
ing her kiss, and beside her tall
pale girl in champagne color staring
through jeweed lorgnette.
She was conscious all at once that
the fanneled rider was very close
that his pike-point, with its
big red blossom, was stretching up to
her
With the rose In her hand she curt
cheered itself hoarse, and the band
struck up You Great Big Beautiful
Doll" with extraordinary rapture, to
the tune OF which the noise finally sub
sided to a battery of hilarious con-
gratulations which left her flushed and
Il little GREATNESS. Nancy Chalmers
and Betty Page had burst upon her
like petticoated whIrlwinds and pres
emily, when The crowd had lessened,
the Judge came to introduce his ylsi.
tor
Mr.. Fargo and his daughter are our
guests at GLADDEN. Hall. he told her
They are old friends of Valiant's, by
the way; they knew him In New
York"
'Katharine's lighting her incense
now, guess" observed Silas Fargo.
See there!" He pointed across the
stand, where stood wilowy tan fig
ure, one hand beckoning to the con.
course below, where Valiant stood the
center OF shifting group. round which
the white bulldog, mad with recovered
liberty. tore in eccentric circles.
AS they looked. she called softly,
John! John!"
\ Shirley saw him start and face
about, then come quickly toward her.
amazement and welcome In his eyes.
AS Shirley turned away little later
with the major, that whispering voice
seemed to sound In her ears-"John'
joint" There smote her suddenly the
thought that when he had chosen her
his Queen of Beauty, he had not seen
the other-had not known abe was