The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-02-10

WGSt VI Tic 1lOuSC, eiAd AOSCs OAA ShAS
right, to a circus, whence three 9TH
er rides ran out, as spokes from a
hub. Across the ride two definite
trails had been left-or, rather, one
and a half. The first, which
stretched right across, was 80 PAGES
away, to the left Of the oak; and
the second, which stretched but half
way, as far to the left again. At the
end of this second trail, full in the
midst Of the ride, the woman was
sitting alone, with her back towards
me.
To say that / felt bewildered
means nothing at all. What on earth
she was doing there, could not con-
ceive, and at last / made up my
mind that she must be hiding from
Virgil with whom she had had some
fuss. Of him or the other two men,
could see no sign.
Now but for the sight of the worn-
an, / should have at once descended
and taken the other trail, but whilst
I was still considering whether to
follow this course, the woman got
to her feet and stood perfectly still.
When l saw her do this, it came
to me in a flash that, unless the
woman was mad, she must be act
ing in concert with somebody else.
And so she was. Before two min
utes had passed, the chauffeur
appeared.
He made his way straight to her
side, when the woman handed him
something and then hurried out Of
the ride and SO out Of my view.
Preparing to descend, I had
turned about and was standing upon
the branch with my hands on the
trunk, when the scream of dog
in agony rent the ear. Half-turning
again, saw the chauffeur standing
where had seen him last, holding
the dog at arms length by the
scruff of its neck and fogging the
luckless creature with all his might.
I was just about to cry out when
heard a galloping horse coming
down from the right, that is to say,
from the circus from which the four
| rides ran out.
Because Of the leaves before me,
could not see it go by, but an
instant later a bay flashed into my
view. On his back was a girl, and
the two were going full tilt down
the midst of the ride, and making
straight for the chauffeur still
thrashing the dog.
So for second or less. Then the
bay turned head over heels and
the girl went flying beyond him, as
though shot out of a gun.
never saw such a fall in all my
life, but before I had time to think,
much less to descend, a man and 9
woman were rushing to where the
girl lay. They were, Of course, the
two that came out of the car and
they must have been standing di.
rectly in line with the bay when he
came to the ground. And the chauf.
feur, too, was running as fast as
he could.
The bay was up now and was
moving off through the bracken with
heaving TANKS, but the girl lay
crumpled up and perfectly still. To
my surprise, instead of attending to
her, the man and the woman be-
tween them lifted her up and began
to stumble with her towards my
oak. They passed directly beneath
me, seeming to think of nothing but
getting their burden along. Had this
been the carcase of dog, they
could scarce have used it with less
propriety. The girl was dead OF
senseless-I could not tell which:
but, instead of supporting her head,
they let this hang, and one Of her
legs was suffered to trail on the
| ground.
This was too much for me, and
at once began to 60 down; but,
for all my indignation, I could moi
make haste, because, as I had
feared, the descent was twice as
stiff as the climb I had made.
(TO BE CONTINUED)