The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-06-05

oCCIl LIlG CIOWu.
The dark eyes were searching
her face, studying her, trying, it
seemed, to look into her soul. She
gave him, at last, look for look
and for a moment, barries down,
they saw each other. He said then,
his voice bit unsteady, 81 can see
why man would"
Her look stopped him, the kind
ling darkness in her eyes. eve
won't quarrel again, you and l."
she said.
II don't like to be hated. Not by
you. I don't like to think that all
I'll ever have to remember of you
is that you despised me. I'm 60
ing now to find JON"
She turned from him before he
could speak, and walked as quick
ly as she could through the crowd
She met Jon coming from the
horse stalls. He said, cts almost
time for you to ride Hero, Gil. Dc
you feel up to it? You look bit
tired"
ooh, I'm all right. Sure I'll ride
him."
She would be glad to ride Hero
It would give her something to
do, something to think about.
''Hero's a bit nervous in front
of a crowd, Jon cautioned her
"Good luck, Gill"
The bay was a splendid animal
big-boned, rangy, built for stay
ing power as we'll as speed. Gil
liam sat him we'll. She knew that
Jon meant to give her Hero fol
her own when they were married
She whispered, well have good
times together, Hero, you and I
Well be great friends, eh?"
Hero stepped proudly into the
ring before the judges stand. He
wasn't hard to manage. He seem.
ed to enjoy the spotlight.
She put him through his PAGES
She had almost forgotten about
Simon Killigrew. She saw him
standing by the rail. gazing ur
at her, thinking bitterly, nc
doubt, how well she looked or
Jon Hillyer's fine horse, thinking
that she was happy because she
was getting what she wanted
Then, like a squall, a great hub
bub swept up around her -
screams of women and shouting
of men and the trampling of feet
Hero reared high, his neck arched
his eyes rolling wildly. She caught
glimpse of a great black dog, ar
Alsatian, with red eyes and slav'
ering jaws. She fought wildly tt
quiet Hero who began to buck
She heard the dog swapping, snarl
ing at his heels. He dashed out ane
began to rear wildly.
Then she was off. She hit thu
ground, lay face down, shielding
her head with her arms, eye
closed tightly, the horror of thos'
failing hooves, of those foam
crusted jaws, looming all abou
her. She felt the clasp of strong
hands. She was snatched up light
ly, easily, as if she were a tot. Sh'
was held in a powerful, comfort
ing embrace. "Gillian!" She heard
Darling Gillian!"
She did not open her eyes. Sh'
thought it would be nice to keel
them closed forever, to hear for
ever in her heart the urgent tend
erness of that voice. Darling
She knew he had carried he,
through a break in the rail. Sh'
opened her eyes slowly and look
ed up into his, loving the concern
in them, the fear in their clea,
brown depths. care you al
right?" he asked. you're no
hurt?"
She shook her head. "Not hurt
thank you. I can make out al
right if you'll just set me down.
She stood, resting a hand on hi
shoulder. Jon came hurryinl
through the crowd from the jud
ges' stand. She said, ''Is Hero al
right?"
"Be hanged with Hero! How
are you? The brute might have
trampled you to DEATH"
"But he didn't" She looked
from joins anxious eyes to Simon
Killigrew's thin brown visage, ex'
pressionless now.
"Splendid the way you dashed
in there, Killigrew, and pulled
Gillian out from UNDER" said Jon
cts a great debt I owe you. Il