Hoof Beats 



it, but — " she held out her hand again, "Good bye! 



Striving watched her disappear around the 

 corner of the station with a greater feehng of 

 regret than he could understand. 



*'Jove,'* he muttered, *'Jove, I'll bet she can 

 ride, too. I haven't seen a girl like her for years." 



He sprang down the steps and walked to the end 

 of the platform. The conductor and the engineer 

 were talking heatedly with the telegraph operator 

 who had run out from his oflSce. Evidently they 

 were being held up to let some faster train by. 

 No doubt he had a minute or two. He walked 

 toward the corner of the station. What luck! 

 There they were, the pack just coming down the 

 road, and a dozen men and women nearby, some 

 mounted, others tightening girths and fussing 

 with stirrup leathers. She was there, too, on a 

 big-boned thoroughbred gray. He looked as if 

 he could gallop. Striving thought, and the girl sat 

 as if only a fall could bring her out of the saddle. 

 His breath came rapidly as the hounds drew near 

 and his heart pounded as it hadn't done for 

 years. The girl turned and saw him. He 

 thought he could see the half twinkle in her eyes 

 that he had noticed on the train, but she looked 

 swiftly away again. He was afraid she was 

 offended, perhaps he shouldn't have come, it 

 seemed like following her. He hoped she wouldn't 



68 



