The evening world., 1914-11-11

clutching at his heart, could
mot but feel . thrill at the
Wild beauty Of the girl: her long
hair flowed and writhed smokily. her
face was the more commandingly
beautiful for the very msrcilsss hate
that nrsd Il: her girlish body In her
boyish costume was strangely alive
Her thighs gripped the horses sides
visibiy like arches Of steel. All this
beauty Forbes saw also. and more. for
he saw with the eyes Of idolatry; and
yet more again. for his beloved was In
mortal danger. He ran In frenzy OF
fear and determination. As he and the
horses met on their converging paths
Persis shrieked to him: Keep away!
Keep away!"
None the less he ieaped for the bride
with both hands flung out But she
would not let him endanger himself.
She threw all tho power OF both her
arms and her weight on tho farther
bride, dragging the horses head aside
till no swerved out OF F'orbess reach
Forbes sprawlcd on the turf hut at
least he had not been struck by the
hoofs or knees Of the horse. And then
the horse came down In turn, thrown
out OF his stride and with his head
brought round so sharply that ne
came down on his shoulder and NJ
most broke his neck.
Persis went through tho air like a
pinwheel. and those VINO witnessed
the affair gave her up and tho horse
for dead. But she chung to the bride,
and got up on all tours. For onca
Persis was awkward. she and Forbes
met and stared like quadrupeds. and
the horse rolled over and stared. too.
After tho first automatic recovery
Persis was overtAken by q wave OF
terror she had had no time to feel.
She turned ashen about the mouth,
and . queasy feeling sicksnsd her.
Her elbows gave way, and she sank
to the ground.
Senator Tait came up with dis-
fculty. forgetting that he had bsen.
perhaps. nearer death on that green
battlefield than any other OF the
fallen. He heard Forbes wailing. AZ
he gathered Persis into his arms and
Strengthened his own weak knees.
"Persis, my darling. my angel.
speak to me! Arc you dead7"
Persis opened her eyes with . nash.
She began to realize that she had
been very conspicuous. "Of course
I'm not dead. But what's worse. my
hairs down. must be q sight! And
my breeches are torn. Oh, why
wasn't ! killed romanticallyf Turn
your backs at once. Come along. I
feel as II I were on the stage Of the
Metropolitan Opera House."
The horse got clumsily to his feet, all
battle knocked out of him, and fol-
lowed weakly till she handed him over
to . groom.
Eager to escape the stares that met
her and the sympathy and Fluctuations
that greeted her. she walked DO rapidly
that the Senator dropped back. She
found herself alone with Forbes. and
she murmured:
"You were wonderful to try to save
me a. you did"
"A. ! didn't. he sroansd. you
wouldn't let me-"
"No, I don't want you ever to risk
anything for me, Harvey. But I'm Just
a. grateful-and more than that. II
there weren't so many people looking
on do you know what I'd sayr'
"What?"
kiss me-" The words came 40 I'M
expectedly that he forgot their sub
tunctive mode. He took them to be
In the imperative, and came near obey
Ing. He checked himself In time. and
said:
"How soon shall be able to call you
mine before al tho worldf"
DO you Wish thatr
s0adyt y y my ene great wisA. I"