The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-02-23
BLACK JOHN
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BY Q. UNDERWOOD.

{, 1918, Western Newspaper Union. !

not understand his idlosyncrasies.
Trained to Ego against the bit" by
the heavy-handed village blacksmith
from whom Casper Carson bought
him, he had q mouth like gutta percha,
and jaw muscles like steel ropes.
Mamie Carson rode him frequently
and sometimes to the discontinue Of
her escort, who, mounted on a horse
of ordinary speed, found it difficult to
keep her in sight.
1t was probably admiration of Miss
Carson's prowess as a horsewoman and
a desire to emulate it that induced
Miss Lakeland to accept Jasper Car
sons offer to teach her to ride.
The riding lesson was given in the
early morning, in order that the CEN
serious might not see and deride Miss
Lackard's inexperience.
But Jasper Carson had something
In his heart to say to Miss Lack
land, and he had promised himself to
say it during one of these delightful
rides. 1t would be so easy, he thought,
to ease his soul of its burden while
riding by her side. When the morning
came he found the brave resolutions
Of the night before had vanished.
"Mayn't I ride Black John tomor-
row, Mr.. Carson?" said Miss Lack
land, after her sixth lesson. "Your
sister, Mamie, says he is perfectly
safe if you are along"
"Certainly you may" said Jasper
Carson, flushing with pride.
So it was that when Jasper Carson
rang the bell at the Lakeland home
that golden morning, Black John bore
a sidesaddle.
"Isn't he the dearest thing?" said
Miss Lakeland, as they cantered along
the river road which was overhung
with locust trees.
"He's O good old horse" said JAS
per Carson. "Hold your reins a
tri1e lower, Miss Lakeland. There,
that's right"
I'm so glad I have learned to ride"
she said.
Jasper Carson tried to say: won't
you ride through life with me?"
Before he could speak, a ragged
urchin jumped from a tree, and Shrek
ed: "Yah! Yah!"
Black Johns nerves were as invul-
nerable as his mouth, and he merely
pricked his ears in disapproval, but
the mare Carson rode was sensitive
She plunged forward in a mad effort
to bolt, and Miss Lakeland, watching
with alarm and admiration, Carson'E
skilled management, increased thu
pressure on Black Johns bit. Thu
horse accepted this as a signal t.
change his gait, and responded witt
cheerful alacrity.
Jasper Carson grasped the situation
Instantly and q cold chill struck to his
heart. So long as the girl retained heI
presence of mind there was little dan
ger of her falling off, but as she sim
ply sat still and pulled on the bit
Black John would turn from the road
into a bridle-path that led back home
and his rider would almost certainly
be swept out of the saddle by the
limb of a tree.
Driving his spurs deep into the sides
of his mare, Carson gave chase. The
mare had q strain of hunting blood II
her and a good burst of speed, but
Black John was 200 yards in from
when she got her stride, and the
bride path was not more than
quarter of q mile away.
AS Black John swept around a curv'
in the road, Carson lost sight of hin
"a II, Cot, rfI1r II NNrAS only DIN
yards now to the bridle-path, and tn
single-footer had Il lead of nearly one
fourth that distance.
Urging the mare with heel, hand an
voice, Jasper Carson dashed on, ours
ing and praying in turn. He fancie
himself standing by Miss Lakeland
corpse, and wondered could he live aft
!. err that.
When Black John turned into tn
/ bride path the mares lean brown hea
was at his flank.
, "Whoa, John !" shouted Carson.
; But John felt the pull at the BIZ
: and hearing the clatter Of the mare
, hoofs, thought it was a race, and pu
on a little more steam.
, Miss Lackland's wrists ached, an
she was frightened too badly to hee
Carson's prayers to her to drop tn
!, reins.
Jasper Carson cursed aloud in hi
agony when he saw, 80 feet in fror
of Black John, the thick limb of a tire
t barely high enough for a crouchin
J horseman to pass under. If Miss Lacl
land struck the limb, it meant dealt
She saw it, too, and bent low in he
saddle. As she crouched she loose
/ her hold on the reins.
, "Whoa, John! !" shouted Carson, pull
' ing up so suddenly that his mare sli
) forward on her launches.
Black John heard the command
the instant the pressure on the bit VIZ
I released, and stopped in his most a
rupt style. His head had passed Vi