The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-03-30
A RACE FOR LIFE,

One fine summer afternoon in the
year lS-, little party Of equestrians
might have been seen galloping over a
grassy plain not many miles from Fort
C, in one of the Western States.
This party consisted Of four persons, two
ladies and two gentlemen.
The ladies were cousins, the daughter
and niece of Col. Lyle, the commander
of the forces at the fort. The daughter
was a tall handsome girl Of perhaps
eighteen summers Elsie, iher cousin was
blonde, with light eyes and hair; and
though her beauty was a different type
from that Of the more stately Stella,
still she was very beautiful.
Their companions, Ernest Graham
and Percy Vane, were two handsome,
dashing young officers of the American
army, as their shoulder straps showed.
Are we not venturiDg rather too far,
Percy2' said Earnest, checking his
horses speed somewhat. 49,
"Why, there is no danger is there p
mo positive danger, but there were
rumors at the fort this morning that the
Indians were moving this way with
quite a large force"
, M did not hear of that. Perhaps we
ladies ter return then. What say you,
companions! Percy, addressing his fair
ooh, no! not yeV,
wonder grove at any rae S..ll ;ae as far as
| lOi ., 49, ~--.i~imed Stella, ana ow
the reins to her noble steed, she GoI'3e
Cd ewav with the speed OF the wind.
The Others we're not slow in following
her example, and they were soon flyin,
over the plain. Percy was soon at tn
heels Of Stella's horse, but could No
gain another inch. Suddenly, happen
ing to cast his eyes ahead, he perceived
a WIDE deep chasm directly in front
toward which they were rapidly going
He uttered a cry of alarm, and imme
diately checking his horse, in hopes tina
the steed would not take the perilou
leap, halted on the very brink Of TIT
| chasm
She heard the cry, and saw the chasm
at the same instant, and attempted t.
| stop her horse, but it was going at sucl
a rate of speed that it was impossible
and she had only time to gather hel
reins tightly in her hand when the steet
sprang into the air. She was a gooc
rider, and kept her seat bravely unit
her horse struck the opposite bank
when he stumbled, and she was thrown
from her saddle, and her horse dashed
over the plain riderless.
Percy hastily rode up the bank Of tn,
chasm until he came to narrow place
and leaping his horse over he was soou
at the side of his bethrothed.
Stella was uninjured, having fallen
upon bed OF moss. Percy was just
about help her to her feet, when he
heard q cry Of alarm from Ernest, and
turning he saw upon the brow of a hill
scarcely hundred yards distant, a
band OF wild looking savages.
He saw it would be folly to think Of
fighting the Indians, as there were at
least twenty OF them, and knowing that
their only safety lay in the speed Of their
steeds, he caught his betrothed up be.
fore him on the saddle and bounded
away speedily followed by the other
couple.
The Indians had discovered our little
party, and were rushing toward them
with hideous yells.
Miles were rapidly traversed, Percy
and his lovely burden taking the lead ;
Elsie seated on a small Arabian pony
next, and Ernest in the rear
The enemy was gaining but slowly
when suddenly big, tall athletic saw
age, mounted On a powerful looking
black horse, shot out from his compan-
ions and rapidly gained on the, fugi-
tives.
Ernest noted this, and unslinging a
short, handsome rife from his back, and
turning in his saddle, took deliberate
aim, fred, and the Indian fell from his
horse, and the wild steed dashed rider.
less away.
Courage, dearest; we are not far
from the fort now" said Ernest, as he
rode up side by side with Elsie.
81 am not afraid, dear Ernest" re-
piled the maiden. "Gipsy is almost a
match for your Selim," she answered,
patting the neck of her pony, who was
putting forth his best speed, as though
it were mere play to carry his fair mis-
tress
Saved! cried Percy at this mo
ment, as the fort came in sight hardly
a mile away, and his com panions echo
ed his word as they galloped safely into
the fort, their foe being not five hundred
yards away.
The Indians stopped when they saw
the fugitives enter the fort, and held a
council, and deeming it best not to at
tack the fort, they retreated into the
forest. ... 49, ~.
The rumor that large party Of In
dams were on the war-path proved false,
for the band of braves who gave onr
friends a race for their lives were all the