The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-06-12

that trick of the loose wrist and II
flexible thrust, but at the fencing club
Where that subconscious management
of the rein, that nice gage of spec
and distance, but on the polo field
The old sports stood him now in goo'
stead. "Why, he has a seat like
centaur!" exclaimed the judge-prais,
indeed in community where riding
was passion and horseflesh fetish
oh, dear!" mourned Nancy Chal
mers. I've bet six pairs Of gloves OF
Quint Carter. Never mind; if it has tt
be anybody else, I'd rather it were
Mr.. Valiant. It's about time Damory
Court got something after Rip-Van
Winkling 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, ant
Mr. Valiant misses"
katharine looked at her with a lit
tie smile. He won't MISS" she said
She had seen that look on his face
before and read it Alright. John Va
liant had striven in many contests, moi
only of skill 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 doublet
and olive plume of Castlewood shot
away for a last time-and I..iled. 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 a 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 hon.
age!"
Shirley saw the horse coming down
the 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 jeweled lorgnette.
She was conscious ali at once that
the f1anneled rider was very close
that his pike-point, with it's
big red blossom, was stretching up to
her.
With the rose in her hand she curt
sled to him, while the blurred throng
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 battery of hilarious con-
which left her flushed and
a 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 visi-
Tor.
"Mr. Fargo and his daughter are our
guests at GLADDEN. Hail. he told her.
They are old friends of Valiant's, by
he way; they knew him in New
York"
"Katharine's lighting her incense
low, guess" observed Silas Fargo.
See there!" He pointed across the
stand, where stood a willowy tan fig
Ire, one hand reckoning to the con-
course below, where Valiant stood, the
'enter of shifting group, round which
he 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,
and welcome in his eyes.
AS Shirley turned away little later
With the major, that whispering voice
seemed to sound in her ears-"John!
[ohn!" There smote her suddenly the
hought that when he had chosen her
lis Queen of Beauty, he had not seen
he other-had not known she was
here.
A few moments before the day had
,een golden; she went home through
! landscape that somehow seemed to
AVE lost its brightest glow.