Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-04-05
William MacHarg
Edwin Balmer
Copyright By Llttis. Brown and Company

1 DdlCN HAAu-AD"EDttt ONtIs oHE 20
down, and they stood together follow
ing the play.
you know polo7" she questioned
him, as she saw the expression O
appreciation In his face as a player
daringly "rode-onr' an antagonist ant
saved a "cross." She put the ques
ton without thought before she rec
ognized that she was obeylng her ia
theirs instructions.
II understand the game somewhat
Eaton replied.
Have you ever played7"
ut seems to deserve its reputation
as the summit Of sport" he replied.
He answered so easily hat she
could not decide whether he was evad-
ing or not; and somehow. just then,
she found 1t impossible to put the
simple question direct again.
Good Good, Don r. she cried en-
Enthusiastically and clapped her hands
as Avery suddenly raced before them,
caught the ball with a swinging, back
handed stroke and drove It directly
toward his opponents goal. Instantly
whirllng his mount, Avery raced away
after the bail, and with another clean
stroke scored a goal. Everyone about
cried out In appreciation.
Hes very quick and clever, isn't
he?" Harriet said to Eaton.
Eaton nodded. "Yes; he's by all
odds the most skillful man on the
Geld, ! should say"
Che generosity OF the praise Inn
PEELED the girl, somehow, to qualify It.
"But only two others really have
played much-that nan and that"
Eyes, | picked them as the expert
enced ones" Eaton said quietly.
"The others-two of them, at least
are out for the nrHt time, / think"
They watched the rapid course Of
the bah up and down the field, the
scurry and scamper OF the ponies
after II, then the clash of a melee.
Two ponies went down, and their
riders were flung. When they arose,
n Of the least experienced boys
llmped apologetically from the field.
Avery rode to the barrier.
II say, any Of you fellows, don't you
want to try it? We're just getting
warmed up"
Avery looked over to Eaton and
gave the challenge direct.
"Care TO take a CHANGER"
Harriet Snntoine watched her com
panion; a sudden flush had come to
his face, which vanished, as she
turned. and left him almost pale; but
his eyes glowed. Avery's manner In
challenging him. as though he must
refuse from fear of such q fall as he
just had witnessed, was not enough
to explain Eaton's start.
How can II" he returned.
IF you want to play. you can"
Avery dared him. "Furdenr-that
was the boy who had just been hurt
''will lend you some things; his'll just
about at you; and you can have his
mounts"
Harriet continued to watch Eaton
the challenge had been put so as to
give him no ground for refusal but
timidity.
"You don't care tor Avery tainted
him deity.
"Why don't you try ity' Harriet
found herself saying to him.
He hesitated. She realized It was
not timidity he was feeling; II was
something deeper and stronger than
that. II vas fear; but so plainly It
was not fear Of bodily hurt that she
moved instinctively toward him In
sympathy. He looked swiftly at
Avery. then at her, Their away. He
seemed to fear alike accepting or re-
fusing to play; suddenly he made a
decision.
"Tn play"
He started instantly away to the
dressing rooms a few minutes later,
when he rode INTO the field, Harriet
was conscious that, In some way. Ea-
ton was playing a part rs he listened
to Avery's directions.
Avery appointed himself to oppose
Eaton wherever possible, besting him
In every contest for the ball ; but she
saw that Donald, though he took II
upon himself to show all the other
players where they made their mis-
takes, did not offer any instruction to
Eaton. One of the players drove the
ball close to the barrier directly be-
fore Harriet; Eaton and Avery raced
for 1t. neck by neck. Eaton by better
riding gained q little; as they came
up, she saw Donald's attention was
not upon the ball or the play; in
stead, he was watching Eaton closely.
And she realized suddenly that Don
aid had appreciated as fully as her
self that Eaton's clumsiness was a
pretense. 1t was no longer merely
polo the two were playing; Donald.
suspecting or perhaps even certain
that Eaton knew the game, was try
ing to make him show IL, and Eaton
watchfully avoiding this. Just In
Of her. Donald, leaning forward.
swept the ball from In front of Ea-
pony's feet. /
For a few moments the play was all
II the further edge of the field; then
the ball crossed with a long curving
shot and came hopping and rolling
along the ground close to where she