San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-30
Chapter XXI (Continued) =.

r beneath a lowering Au-
tumn sky one morning
when the somewhat ancient cab
from the distant village ratified
along its avenue of bare and
shredded trees and stopped before
the heavy portico of the house.
A startled Minchin opened the
door to the girl who leapt lightly
up the steps; frightened Minchin,
whose prim cap went awry, and
whose well-trained eyes filled with
tears at the sight of Judy Kin
sella.
81 want to see aunt and uncle
for only a moment, Minchin,"
Judy said calmly.
She walked into the coffee
room. Chloe Hawksbee lay upon
the settee reading a novel. Her
husband drank his after-lunch tea
stealthily by the fire. At the
sight of Judy a simultaneous cleo
trio current seemed to pass
through them both. Chloe's novel
dropped to the floor. James
Hawksbee's cup cracked against
his saucer.
Judy spoke.
"I've not come back" she said,
give only come for Patsy. |
haven't key of the stables or l
would not have troubled you."
Hawksbee rose dazedly.
"Patsy?" he repeated stupidity.
"It's a black hunter which your
niece, Judy Kinsella, once bought
with her own money, uncle"
Judy whispered, with very gentle
irony. "If you will give me thu
key will get him and take hin,
away"
Chloe rose unsteadily.
"You're not-not coming to the
meet tomorrow"-her voice num-
bled. "You can't. People know
all about you. They wouldn't have
you"
'1 know" answered Judy. "But
I'm going, all the same"
Judy had taken rooms in small
farm-cottage three miles from
Grey Turrets. With the lightning
stroke of resolution which had
followed the story of jealousy at
the sight of John Chatterton and
the girl in the theatre foyer, she
had moved into the country, after
eauipping herself with new hunt
ing clothes from gloves to top
boots. She had remembered two
things. One was the near date of
the Wycherley meet. The other was
that Teddie Stockpool was a hunt
ing-girl of the highest calibre.
And of all the county functions
only a fox-hunt had ever drawn
forth John Chatterton.
Judy, for all her self-possession,
was trembling a little next morn
ing as she cantered along the sun
lit road. A little spot of color
burned in each cheek and her eyes
we're like gray stars. Every inch
of country was familiar to her, so
that she was able to reach Cob
den's Spinney, where the first draw
was to take place, at the moment
when the crowd of pink-clad men
and trim, graceful women were
waiting for the cry. From the
sunken lane where she refined in
her mount she saw the form of
Chatterton on a huge, gray geld
ing, and, with him, Teddie Stock
pool. And, at that moment, a
L,,,r4 of lo,,,,J ,,,,,g,o oo,,,n fyo,,,
the spinney. Out of the covert
red-brown shape flashed.
The big black swerved through
the gateway and in dozen
seconds he was among the field.
Like a ghostly horse-woman, Judy
had made her entry. At his hest
Patsy could show his heels to any
thing in that part of the country,
and, this morning, he was at his
best.
Judy Kinsellaw
She heard her name jerked in
amazement, and knew that her APP
.pearance had all the drama she
had expected. But her eyes were
upon a dozen riders who pressed
close upon the hounds as they
nosed forward a hundred yards
behind the fOx's brush. Both
Chatterton and Teddie Stockpool
were among them.
A warm thrill born of Patsy's
drumming hoofs and her own leap
ing blood caught Judy. The horse
sailed over a solid wooden fence
and flashed through a gateway.
She was in the first dozen, ten
yards behind Chatterton's gray and
Teddie Stockpoops dun mare. At
that moment, the girl ahead turned
her flushed face and saw her.
"On, Patsy dearw whispered
Judy, touching the horse with her
curled lash.
She swept like a projectile be-