Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-05

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He Grained His Neck, but Il Had
Passed the Line of His Vision.
turning for a last desperate double.
1t saw the man in the foreground and
its bounding, aSonizsd little wild heart
that SO prayed for life gave way.
With a final effort, it gained the porch
and crouched down in its corner, an
abject, sweated, hunted morssl at
. hopeless bay.
Like flash, Valiant stopped. caught
the shivering thing b. the scrutf. and
as its swapping jaws grazed his thumb.
dropped it through the open window
behind him: Sanctuary" Quoth he,
and banged the shutter to.
At the same instant, as the place
overfowed with a pandemonium o!
nosing leaping hounds, he saw the
golden chestnut refined sharply down
among the ragged box-rows. with q
sham efaced though brazen knowledge
that the girl who rode it had seen.
She sat moveless, her head high.
one hand on the hunters ioam-fecked
neck, and their glances met like
crossed swords. The look stirred
something vague and deep within him.
For an unforgettable instant their
eyes held each other, in = gaze rigid.
challenging, almost defiant: then It
broke and she turned to the rest Of
the party squirting In galloping zig
gag: genial.faced man OF middle age
in khaki who sat his horse like .
cavalryman, a younger one: with q
reckless dark face and straight black
hair and following these . half-dozen
youthful riders Of both sexes. one Of
the lads heavily plastered with mud
from wet cropper. and the girls
, chiefly gasps and giggies.
The elder Of the two men pulled up
beside the leader, his astonished eyes
sweeping the house-front. with its
open blinds. the wisp of smoke curling
from the kitchen chimney. He said
something to her, and she nodded.
The younger man, meanwhile, had
flung himself from his horse, wild
| eyed roam, and with his arm thrust
through its bride, strobe forward
among the welter OF hounds, where
they scurried at fault, hither and
thither, yelping and eager.
What rotten luck!' he exclaimed.
Gone to ground after twelve miles!
After him, Tawny! You mongrels!
Do you imagine he's up tree? After
him, Bulger! Bring him here"
He glanced up, and for the first time
| saw the asr-e !c :weeds looking on.
Valiant was attracted by his face, its
| dash and generosity everything its in.
! herent profigacy and weakness. Dark
as the girl was light, his features had
| the same delicate chiseling, the in
| breeding, nobility and indulgence OF
generations. He stared moment,
and the somewhat supercilious look
travelled over the gazer, from dusty
| boots to waving brown lair.
"Oh!" he said. His view slowly
took in the evidences Of occupation.
THE house is open, see. Going to
set it fit for occupancy, presumed
/ Yes
The other turned. well. Judge
Chalmers, what do you think OF that!
The unexpected has happened at last"
He looked at the porch. who's &c
occupy it?'
| "The owner"
Wonders will never cease!" said
the young man easily. struggling
We'll, our quarry 10 here somewhere
From the way the dogs act should
say he's bolted into the house. With
your permission I'll take one OF them
in and see' He stopped and snapped
leash on . dog-collar.
I'm really very sorry," said saliant
but I'm living in it at present.
The edge Of smile lifted the care
fully trained mustache over tae
others white teeth. 1t had the Per
fectly courteous air Of saying. 20
! course. II you say 70. But"
Valiant turned, with . gesture thai
included all. III you care to dismount
and resi-" he said, Il shall be honored
though I'm afraid can't offer you
such Hospitality a. I should wish"
The Judge raised his broad soft hat
Thank you, sir," he said. with . soft
accent that DELIGHTFULLY."- dis1ained thu
letter "r. But We mustn't intrude
any further. A. you know. OF course
the place has been uninhabited foi
any numbee Of years, and We ssd n
idea It was 70 acquire . tenant Yos
will overlook our riding through,