Show CLARK wac W NV S eav I 1 cc THE STORY THUS FAR lark shan non Is heartbroken when she learns that her horse madoc Is to be sold her father abber rector shannon had bad died recently leaving the place in debt bethel north near neighbor to the shannona Sh annons held a note against rector shannon and the sale ol of the horse she said bald would clear the note david north bethels berthels Be ton son and larks childhood sweetheart arrives in england from america and asks lark it H she would like to go to america as a his wife but expresses no love for or her merely saying he be Is ond fond of her jaggers bethels berthels Be bus husband band drives lark to the dock and she boards the ship tempera pera expecting david to join her lark receives a note saying be had sailed CHAPTER IV in those last hurried days of preparation at home jaggers had said so often you feel strange with the boy now lark but by the end of the trip have grown close to one another therell be moonlight on the voyage and long sunny days together davids got a wise head on his shoulders its a good plan that one he talked of to have the captain marry you toward the end of the crossing its better than rushing the marriage now grow more close together and more understanding der standing this way and be a sweeter sounder thing like crossing a brook from steppingstone stepping stone to step ping stone instead of in a leap presently a little cabin boy came out of the door which led to the galley and blew what was evidently a repetition of the mess call for larks special benefit and for that of the young couple who stood together on the forward deck the couple went below and after a moment lark followed them when she reached the dining room the two who had entered just ahead of her were seating themselves with the ship ships s officers and other first class passengers at the main table under the portrait of king george the third the gentlemen at the main table rose courteously to accept the apologies which the two young people made for their tardiness big dan spoke loudly to his companions pan ions an uncommon good look er that last wench I 1 seen her by her lonesome on deck most the night now if I 1 have no strings tied to me he winked in minnies direction as lark blushed with embarrassment and captain walesby rapped sharply for silence aint my dan a caution now minnie laughed and grinned with appreciation of the blond giants wit with great gusto she swabbed her plate clean with a crust and forked a hunk of pork onto it minnie having gobbled up her meat by now looked around for the platter but the steward had passed it to the mens table to be emptied with a philosophical shrug she reached over and forked an unfinished piece off one of her girls plates im buying it offen you she said casually and flipped a farthing across the table the coin rolled on the floor and the girl dived for it as the others laughed only lark amused maybe she wanted the meat herself she said impulsively ashes hardly eaten a bite outside the saloon doorway a little man stood waiting lark saw at once that it was the groom who had been in charge of the horses last night she smiled at him my names busby miss he said humbly and ive been hoping for the chance of a word with you I 1 wanted to thank you again its due to you that we got our big stallion safely aboard hes a handful and no mistake he chuckled proudly 1 I love horses lark said ive handled them all my life theres no mischief in that beast it was just that he was panicked he let me catch his halter strap right at once its plain that hes a very fine horse what are his blood lines ive not had a look at his pape papers rs yet busby stood twirling his cap in his gnarled hands master jarrod terraine just bought him from mr dalphine Gal phine yesterday his rightful names lancer but ive took a notion to cau call him red baskall Ra like you did A pet names good luck in racing stables you know lark said fine busby hes a horse to be proud of mistress dana the masters daughter took a rare fancy to him at the fair yesterday and egged her pa into the deal he looks much like a horse my father owned lark commented our madoe madoc had spanker blood in him and this horse has much the same conformation this kaskalla Kas Ras kalls the prize of tle th e string my folks are taking back to virginia busby said a grand racing stable there great ways I 1 understand its name is would you like to have a glimpse of the way ive got our beasts bedded down he asked shyly lark nodded and followed busby down the long twisting passage that led at last to a steep ladder which descended to the hold here the stalls had been set up slatted overhead and with neat divisions of braided netting to separate the beasts the other groom a moroccan was watering the gray martindale and the roan yearling which lark had noticed last night these two busby explained belonged to mr Pla dawes by midday mid day dinner minnie seemed in high good humor she joked with big dan at the adjoining table and ignored captain Wales bys reproving glances she even made an unsuccessful attempt to bring lark into the general badinage cheer up clelia whispered ashes just teasing you smile lark lark tried hard as she could but she felt like a fish out of water she was feeling blue and dispirited I 1 this Ras kalls the prize of the string over davids seemingly casual desertion of her she missed jaggers and the friendly everyday chatter of f the neighbors about the parish doings it was a relief when the meal finally over mr Sw alters approached pro ached her confidently and asked if she would care to promenade the the deck with ith him minnies crossed with us before he told her every now and then she comes over for the irish fair circuit and takes back a group of bound girls with her to add to her her earnings ashes a great tease but her hearts as big as her body 1 I dont believe it lark remonstrated s st why I 1 think ashes dreadful dreads outrageously common most circus people are clink said knowingly youve lived a ve very ry sheltered life I 1 imagine miss shannon im worried about what youre going to do if you land before mr north does minnie told me she thought hed sailed on the runnymeade Runny meade but a slower ship than ours please dont think me curious or impertinent 1 I think its kind of you to take a an n interest ive the address of a friend of mr norths shell let me teach at her school though im not very well educated you see my only real talent is for riding perhaps I 1 could be a jockey clink laughed politely looking a little shocked youre a plucky girl he said a good joke by jove I 1 lark smiled at him 1 I feel much better than I 1 did im glad of that most awfully gl glad ad we must walk together whenever I 1 can get away from my duties your friend who put you aboard mr jaggers north was that his name asked me to keep an eye out for you you know what a nice young man he was lark thought of course he had none of davids charm or good looks but having someone like him take an interest would help quite a lot one day the third sunday of the voyage captain walesby announced at breakfast that he would conduct church services on deck there was great confusion in the sa loon as all the girls unpacked their sabbath finery lark dug down deep into her portmanteau searching for her good blue bombazine dress she find it it just there it was immediately after the service that busby waylaid lark he had a worried and anxious look about him 1 I dont like to trouble you miss he taid said soberly but the horse is sick really sick it aint just colic like the master says ive changed the blanket over and over again and its sweated through in no time its lung inflammation and a fact miss its serious ive seen it often enough afore to know that lancers sick lark asked sharply oh no not my red ras kall no maam it aint lancer its our mare penelope squire terraine and me have been a working over her the livelong live long night maybe come down to the stalls with me and give me a word of advice say what do if it was your own madoc youve spoke of so often indeed I 1 will lark said with warm sympathy and following the groom past the neat little temporary tac kroom and the dark cornered enclosure where the bales of hay were stacked shoulder high minnie standing back in the shadow grinned at them and said seen my dan anywhere busby shook his head and led lark through the wicket into the fenced off stall where the mare stood sweat drenched and bloody lark laid a gentle hand on the drooping neck poor penelope P she said softly ashes as sick a horse as ever ive seen shell have to be bled wont she indeed she will young lady Pla dawes had entered the stall and stood there behind lark with his shrewd little eyes fixed on her she frowned a little and said anxiously cant we do something does the squire know how sick a mare hes got jarrod terrains Ter raines a nincompoop mr dawes said w with it h asperity hes trying to keep up the pretense that his beast has nought the matter with it but colic when the fact that its lung fever is clear as light ive known terraine boy and man for forty years and hes never yet acknowledged himself wrong take this bet of ours now fifty pounds on our imported stallions why this thunder boy of mine hes a wonder horse our baskall will beat him mr dawes busby interrupted with surprising spirit give me a couple of weeks to work him out when we land and all I 1 ask pooh you overestimate your nag Pla who at another time would have scorned to enter into discussion with a groom was now feeling expansive and talkative under the stimulus of his neighbors bad luck Tatter stands behind my gray martindale and your horse is only a pickup pick up at a county fair it surprise me a mite if his bloodline blood line papers were forged why id raise my bet to a hundred pounds to five hundred id bet my whole plantation even my slaves and the thoroughbred horses in my y racing stable you would would you sir big lumbering jarrod had come in quietly tiptoeing as if he were in a sickroom well I 1 take you up on any such bet id wa wager ler my lands and even my house on this race between lancer and thunder boy but id no more bet my slaves and horses than id bet my daughter dana live flesh aint a rightful thing to gamble with against the ten commandments like bowing down to graven images or some such ill bet Great ways by capricorn but neither my horses nor negroes against your dawes ferry your pl acell make a nice enough house for my overseer barnes or one of the tenants you cant bluff me sir want to have it writ down lawyer wise 1 I never bluff Pla said laid haughtily such a thing would be beneath my dignity and sporting wagers are never reduced to writing my word sir is sufficient Pla turned abruptly and left them jarrod threw back his head and bawled with laughter well young lady I 1 guess you heard me call that little popinjays jays bluff you he eyed lark with great friendliness as it if she shared the joke and entered into his game when she smiled at him with amusement he continued ill bet a golden guinea youre the young miss my grooms been babbling so much about he says youre a first class horsewoman yourself and that spite of the fact that youre a parsons daughter you know all the fine points of the turf TO BE CONTINUED |