Produced by Al Haines
[Transcriber's note: Extensive research found no evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Bandit Love
By JUANITA SAVAGE
"The City of Desire," "Passion Island," "Don Lorenzo's Bride," "The
Spaniard," etc.
New York Chicago
Published by arrangement with The Dial Press
Printed in U. S. A.
Rotten Row on a brilliant June morning, and Hyde Park at its loveliest.The London "season" at its height, and throngs of fashionably-dressedmen and women "taking the air," strolling idly to and fro, lounging onlittle green-painted chairs, or leaning on the rails watching theriders of all nationalities.
A sight well worth watching. It is the week of the International HorseShow, and there are many foreign officers in gaily-coloured uniforms,mounted on sleek and beautiful thoroughbreds, cantering along amidst athrong of more soberly clad riders of both sexes.
The "liver brigade" is at full strength. These red-faced,white-moustached, elderly men, with "Retired Colonel, Indian Army,"stamped all over them, as it were, are probably telling each other, asthey try to urge their hacks to a gallop, that "the Row is becomingdemnably overcrowded, sir, and the place is going to the dogs. Thoseconfounded foreigner fellows look like circus performers, and that sortof young woman wouldn't have been tolerated in my young days…. Gad!just look at that girl!"
The girl in question is mounted on a high-spirited bay which isresenting her mastery and is fighting to get the bit between his teeth.The horse rears, jerking his fine head from side to side, then buckswith a whinny of rage, and the "liver brigade" scatters. A mountedpoliceman, on the alert to render assistance and prevent accidents,brings along his well-trained steed at a hand-gallop, recognises therider of the bucking thoroughbred, and reins up with a grin on hisbronzed face.
He knows that Miss Myra Rostrevor, although she looks a mere slip of agirl, is quite capable of riding and handling almost any horse thatever was saddled, and is no more likely to be thrown than any of theItalian officers who have been competing for championships at theOlympia. He remembers, too, that when another woman's horse boltedwith her a few weeks previously, Miss Rostrevor easily outdistanced himin pursuit of the runaway, brought the startled animal to a standstill,and rode off without waiting for a word of thanks from the scared rider.
Idlers lining the rails, however, ignorant of the identity andcapabilities of Miss Myra Rostrevor, watch her struggle with herspirited steed apprehensively if they are ignorant of horsemanship, andwith admiration if they are experienced.
"Ride him, missie, ride him!" ejaculates a lean, bronzed Americaninvoluntarily. "Gee! some girl! She's sure got you beat, horse, andyou know it. Sits you as surely as an Arizona cowboy, and must havewrists like steel although she's got hands like a baby. Attaboy! …Yep, she'll give you your head now, but I'll gamble she'll bring youback quiet as Mary's little lamb."
He was righ