A Bright Tomorrow by Gilbert Morris Page B

swung into his saddle and brought Thunder around beside the mare. “Just touch Lady with your heels, and she’ll move along. But don’t be afraid. She’s too old and sedate to do anything so vulgar as running away.”
    Virginia sat in the saddle, spine rigid and face pale, expecting the worst. But before they had gone more than a dozen yards, she exclaimed, “Why, this is easy !”
    Amos led the horses out of the yard, and soon they were trotting beneath the trees that overhung the bridle path. The young woman was so delighted with her progress that Amos was pleased.
    As she relaxed, she began to talk about her plan to get the secretary off to one side for at least a few minutes. “Just that much would be enough for Uncle William.”
    Amos shook his head doubtfully. “I don’t know, Miss Powers. The secretary rides like a cowboy—which they say he is . Be quite a trick to catch up with him on Lady.”
    But Amos had underestimated this headstrong female. Virginia Powers came from a wealthy family, where she had gotten her own way more often than not. She was, moreover, a very attractive young woman who had learned how to handle men. She turned to Amos, studying his lean form, and his rugged good looks. “Amos, if you’ll help me corner Roosevelt…maybe I can get my uncle to give you a job on the Journal .”
    Amos looked dubious. “I don’t have enough education for that, but I’ll help you if I can.” He smiled at her, unaware of how appealing he was, with his ash-blond hair falling over his forehead and his dark blue eyes shining. “Look, there’s one stretch of the bridle path that’s different. It’s so overgrown that nobody can do more than walk his horse through. Let’s go, and we’ll waylay the secretary there.”
    Anticipation brought a glow to Virginia’s face, and she agreed at once. “Oh, Amos…let’s do it!”
    He led her to the uncleared section. “We’ll pull back into the trees,” he explained. “I’ll keep an eye out, and when Mr. Roosevelt comes along, we’ll step in front of him. The path is too narrow for him to pass both of us…so you’ll have a few minutes to talk to him.”
    As they waited, Virginia began to question Amos, and despite his reticence, she had soon pried his life story out of him.
    He laughed. “You’ll be a good reporter. I never told anyone so much about myself in my whole life!” Then he lifted his hand to signal silence and cocked his head toward the path on the left. “It’s him!” he said, excitement in his voice. “And he’s all alone! Come on!”
    Amos brought both horses into the narrow path, just as Roosevelt’s horse approached at a fast trot. “Hullo! Is it you, Miss Powers?” Roosevelt asked in a booming voice.
    Virginia turned in the saddle and smiled sweetly. “Why, Mr. Roosevelt, it’s you! I’m sorry, but I’m such a poor rider that I had to ask this young man to help me.”
    Roosevelt grinned at Amos. “You were exactly right about this horse, young man! He jolly well did try to rake me off!”
    â€œYou ought to be used to that, sir. What Prince did was nothing compared to what some of the city bosses and congressmen have done to scrape you out of the way!”
    His reply delighted Roosevelt. He threw his head back, and his hearty “Haw! Haw!” rocked the woods. “What’s your name, young man?”
    â€œAmos Stuart.”
    â€œWell, Amos, you’re dead right! I’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest…and plan to do worse!” Here the path widened slightly, and Roosevelt brought his horse up beside Amos’s. His small eyes twinkled as he demanded, “And do you think I’ll win an office in the next election?”
    Amos had read much about Roosevelt and had a ready answer. “Well, I don’t think