The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-12-23

pletely muliied in lavish furs Of gray-brown rae
coon. His cutter shOne In the sunlight and his
Dig, black horse was curried until he cleaned as
If he were oiled.
But why were they waiting? Why was Lady
Clalres face like a stricken flower, pale cheeks.
uespalrlnS eyes that seemed to be seeking some
thing beyond the excited crowd. down the long
frosty road? Instinctively the hushed crowd fol-
lowed Claire's glance. lnstinctively 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 beheld. Philippe Beau
clerc, 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 like
Il quail. His neck was long and his head was lean.
Ills hind legs seemed shorter than his fore legs.
Beside the well-groomed horses of the other con
testantS he was n groteSQuc parody. The cutter
was rudely wrought of ironwood. But the drivers
face was serene and eager. He glanced toward
Claire. Their look held. Claire smiled. Then
they were off on the six nal of the Scigncur.
The crowd loosed its pent-up laughter rs they
saw Beauclerc's lean, dappled beast fall behind
pace by pace. The other ponies were skimining
OH like swallows in the wind. But leading them
all was old Na-de-bon- Occurs black stallion. There
was a sympathetic shudder Tor Claire. But she.
seeming not to mind. was smiling like a dainty
witch.
a-de-bon-C Occurs black stallion was the first TO
dash up to the blasted oak. He was necked with
foam. His quivcring TANKS were streaked with
the lashes of the old mans whip. 1t was plain
he was well spent but his driver allowed him not
a moments respite. Off they sped again. Then
two soldiers came g%alloping In, neck to neck. The
others followed in quick succession.
Close on the heels of the last sleigh came Beau
clprc. his SinpWV little DOnN as stout and fresh as
when he first set out, his reins still drawn taut.
He wheeled about deftly. then loOsened the leather
Gibbons. The ugly pony stretched out his long.
thin meek and lenped 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-dc-bon-
Occurs painting black stallion. Farther and far
Their he stretched out his hoofs till he dashed BY
the leader.
On the bank the eager crowd Grained their necks.
Their eyes opened with incrcdulity when in tho
flying shape that was daShing toward them they
recognized BeHuclcrc and his uncouth Speckled
nag. Off in tie distance. far behind him. struggled
his yanquishcd rivals. lnstinctively the onlookerS
glanced toward Claire and. though She was hiding
her rosy checrs behind II great muf. they could
see that hcrR Eyes gIcwed with the light that was
never on land or sea.
The spectators surged up about the victor's
sleigh. There was Il torrent Of welcoming cheers
for the tall dark hero. But he had no ears for their
~acclamntions. He was running tn 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 ont her hands IL
the good looking but breathless youth who in
closed them in his own so eagerly. They watched
him bend above them with grace Of Il cavalier. And
as he did so they heard the old Seigneur cXclaim.
"Sacre! where did YOU get that wind-shod demon? -
Philippe Bcauclcrc's answer came back, laugh
ing, oh, that's old Menetepah's Indian pony. I've
been trimming him for weeks in thc forest"