Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-28

"There's minkery here" muttered Kit,
under his breath, his eyes lighting up
sternly. "That woman isn't taking this
ride into the red-skin country OF her own
free will.n " d.. -as. $500 ..s.
In a minute more the stranger reached
the creek, in which he proceeded to water
his horse, an Indian pony. ...
81 know him now," said Kit to him
SELF 1T is that Internal Fleet Foot, the
half-breed"
The savage thus designated was one Of
the most villainous looking fellows the
scout had ever encountered.
His long, tangled hair, his hideous fea-
lures his wretched garb, his dirty com
plexion, his black bloopshot eyes, ali
gave him a most repulsive aspect. His
arms for he carried hunting knife, a
revolver, and a rifle, in plain sight-gave
to his ugly exterior ferocity that was &C
tually startling.
The recognition of the savage having
been thus completed, Kit turned his
chances upon the object the savage was
holding on the pony in front of him.
This object, as KIT had said, was a
white woman, or rather white girl. Her
long, fair hair was dishevelled, flying wild
ly about her shoulders and half hiding her
face, but it could be seen that her features
were deathly pale, and scratched and
bleeding in places, as if she had been
struggling terribly with her captor. That
she 1gas a captive, Kit instantly knew by
the fact that her hands were tied behind
her, and he next saw that she was not
sleeping, as he had at first supposed-nor
dead, as he had for an instant feared
but that she was in death like swoon
Ignorant of the gaze bent upon him,
the half breed, whose arm still encircled
the slight figure, pushed away the dshev-
eled hair from the pallid features, that he
might look upon them.
For a moment he seemed fascinated
with the view of the pale, fair counte-
nance, so rarely beautiful, even in lis
death like rigidity, and then he bent his
head and kissed the halfparted lips, not
once merely, but again and again
FFThis tires me OUT said Kit to him
SELF II must change my position little
Just enough 10 got the girls head out
of line-and then"
At this instant, and Just as the scout
began moving into the desired range, the
half breed happened to look beyond the
face of his captive to the ground, when
his eyes encountered the tracks left by
Kits horse"
In another instant he had detected Car
sons presence.
'Its you, eh, Mr.. Fleet Foot ?" called
the scout.
The savage was silent.
II see it is you," added the scout
"Who is that with you 2"
'My new squaw," was the answer.
"Hold on a minute, Mr.. Fleet Foot, .
said the scout.
"What more ?' was the response.
II know that this young lady is not
going willingly to the country of Fleet
Foot" continued the scout, with calm
energy. ~ know that she has been sto-
len, and it is in vain for Fleet Foot to say
that she is his squaw"
"Wen, what then ?' was all the saw
age deigned to answer.
1.-The case is just this" continued Car
son. "You will have to deliver the girl
up to me, that l may take her back to
her people"
"That [ will never do" reioined the
half-breed bluntly. This girl is nothing
to you, nor have you any claim upon me.
Why should we QUARREL? | am as much
a white man as a red-skin, and the young
lady might have worse fate than to be.
come my wife, even if she becomes my
wife unwillingly. There is no possible
call for you to interfere with me. The
course for you to take, Mr. Carson, is to
go your own way and mind your own
business, and leave me to mine.n
As he ceased speaking, he uttered a
wild cry of command to his pony, which
instantly bounded away to the southwark
at full gallop .
The scout raised his rife.
The figure of the miscreant was now
fully uncovered, presenting a fair mark,
but Kit was compelled to realize, in view
of the bounding motions of the pony, that
he could not fire upon the desperate vii
lain without the greatest risk of killing
the captive. ~ j
"The accursed trash p' he calculated
his long progressed wrath breaking forth.
"Were it not for sacrificing the girl =
But can at least pursue him p
He struck bis horse sharply with his
heels, and the animal bounded away at
the top of his speed.
| 1t was long time before the chase thus
begun showed which horse could make
the best time. The pony was carving
the most weight, but he was much fresher
than the scouts horse, so that the one cir
cumstance for time counterbalanced the
the other At length, however, the in
creased weight told upon the pony. The
scout commenced gaining.
sI shall catch him." muttered Kit
again speaking under his breath. Chow
can | save the girl from his desperation q,
At this moment a wild cry of dismav
burst from the fugitive.
Just before him, not ten rods distant be
had marked deep and abrupt depression
in the plain, the bed Of one of those creeks
so numerous in that region.
| As quick as lightning, the hunted mis-
creant had comprehended that he could
not cross this creek at that furious nace
the depression being too wide for a fvine
leap. tie had also comprehended that he
could not stop the .pony's wild pace in
season to avoid it. :
Inc scout saw all this too, and smiled
grimly as he realized that a tumbla No.
inevitable. ""S
II was In vain that the half-breed re.
duced to one hand, pulled upon the reins,