The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-09-04


proclamation. Judge Chalmers was on
his feet. Fifty to ten on the Crimson
Rose" he cried. This time. however.
there were no takers. He called again.
but none heard him; the last tits were
too absorbing.
Where had John Valiant learned
that trick of the loose wrist and in
flexible thrust. but at the fencing club?
Where that subconscious management
of the rein. that nice gage of speed
and distance, but on the polo field?
The old sports stood him now In good
stead. why. he has seat like a
centaur!" exclaimed the judge-praise
indeed in community where riding
was passion and horsefesh fetish!
"Oh. dear!" mourned Nancy Chal-
pers. i've bet six pairs of gloves on
Quint Carter. Never mind; If it has to
be anybody else, I'd rather 1t were
Mr.. Valiant. It's about time Damory
Court got something after Rip-Van-
Winkling 1t for thirty years. Besides.
he's giving us the dance. and love
him for that! Quint still has chance.
though. II 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 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 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 lancepoint. 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 all at once that
the flanneled 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
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 a battery of hilarious con-
gratulations which left her flushed and
a little breathless. Nancy Chalmers
hoI h,trGf hnr
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." .e 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 a willowy tan fig
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 she was
there.
A few moments before the day had
been golden; she went home through
landscape that somehow seemed to
have lost its brightest glow.