Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1921-12-15

pletcIy mutlled in lavish furs Of gray.brown rae
coon, His cutter shone in the sunlight and his
big, black horse was curried until he cleaned as
If he were oiled.
But why were they ~waiting2 Why was Lady
Claire's face like II stricken flower, pale cheeks.
drSpairing eyes that seemed to be seeking some
thing beyond the excited crowd, down the long
frosty road? lnstinctivcly the hushed crowd fol-
lowed Claire's glance. Instincttyely they, too,
looked and wished for the absent Philippe Beau
clerc.
Then there swept around the corner and up to
the astoniShed crowd, the most curious. eQuipage
that their eyes had ever beheId. Philippe Beau
cerc, looking like some glorious savage clad In
shaggy black buffalo robes, held taut the home
made reins OF bison hide that guided Il curious
pony. He was small and shaggy and spotted ike
a quail. His neck was long and his head was lean.
His hind legs seemed shorter than his fore legs.
Beside the well.groomed horses Of the other con-
tcStants he was Il grotesque parody. The cutter
was rudely wrought Of ironwood. Eut the drivers
face was serene and eager. lie glanced toward
Claire. Their look held. Claire smiled. Then
they were Off on the signal of tn" Seisneur.
The crowd loosed It's pcnt-up laughter as they
saw BeauClerc's lean. duppled beast fall behind
pace by pace. The other ponies were Swimming
on like swallows In the wind. But lending them
all was old Va-de-bon-Coeur's black stallion. There
was a sympathetic Shuddcr FOR Claire. But she,
seeming not to mind, was smiling Ike Il dainty
witch.
Vn-de-bon-C Occurs black stallion Was the first to
dash IN to the blasted oak. He was Aecked with
foam. His Guivering TANKS were stTeaked with
the lashes of the old mans whip. II was plain
he was we'll spent but his driver allowed him not
a moments respite. on they sped again. Then
two soldiers came ~galloping In. neck to neck. The
others followed in quick succession.
Close on the heels Of the last sleigh came Beau.
r-. Il .t.,.., If,,1, ,.,,,. nc Stnrr orI frpSh nc
when he first set out, his reins still drawn taut.
He wheeled about deity, then looSened the leather
ribbons. The ugly pony stretched ont his long,
thin neck and leaped forward.
He gained on the last horse, passed him. Sailed
by the second, the third. passed the rest of them
was neck and neck with the leader, Na-de'non-
Occurs painting black stallion. Farther and far
Their he stretched out his hoofs till he dashed by
the leader.
an the hank the eager crowd crancd their necks,
Their eyes opened with incrrdulity when In the
diving shape that was dashing toward them they
recognized Benuclarc and his uncnuth speckled
mig OF in the distance, far behind him, struggled
his vanauIshed rivals. lnStinctiyrly the onlookers
glanced toward Claire and, though she was hiding
her ROSY checks behind IL great mur, they could
srr TINT her eyes glowcd with the light that was
never on land or sea.
The spectators surged up about the victors
sIcirh. There was Il torrent ~ welcoming cheers
for the tall dark hero. But he had no ears for their
ncclnmattuns. He was running to the little knoll
where Claire stood beside her father. who In spite
of himself was looking rather relieved and joyous
They watched Claire as she put out her hands to
the good looking but breuthless youth who In
closed them In his own So eagerly. They watched
him bend above them with grace of Il cavalier. Ana
az he did so they heard the old Setgneur exclnim.
"Sncre where did you get that wind'shod dernonT
=, ,H-- .,i,,, ,r,ur.r nan hnrG laugh.
ing. "Oh. that's old Menetepah's Indian pony. I've
been training him for weeks in the forest