Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-03-19

:; when the woman ran out with some %
|of . blanket and muttered somethiu
about sDvering the coffin. The man yelle
out to her to mind her own business an
let the thing alone.
\ She retrcated with the cloth, but Ell
had accomplished bcr purpose. In i
folds she had concealed bowie kuife; uI
der ito cover she had raised the lid an
dropped the weapon inside, risk,ng G,viu
!. me cut as it.fsIl upon me; but in the m'
oaentsry nose and confusion I had &c
the weapon in my hand. and with Il
point raised The heavy lid Of the rug
box the fraction of an inch % that IN
breathing was easy If my position Va
cranpcd.
The three horsemen spread out, remark
ing to each other: Beat up the gs'nG no,
speedily. before by any miracle he gel
into the wooded belt BY Buford Springs.
They continued 10 hallOo at each 0the
for sometime; their liberal potations So
mounting their discretion
Dick they called hack. ~ they wet
driving off. u cool twelve hundred apiece
throw out your old shell and join tn
hunt
The driver mumbled something, bu
their whisky bad thickened his speech .
that it was unintelligible to me-
If he did attempt to move the coffin
was lost.
They kept within hailing distance fo
the length Of some three or more miles
Dick smashing the heavy wagon along .
ia stunning gait; and l expected every mo
mems that my shell would be jostled out.
Bv and by there was q shout off to tn,
right; . tally no, As if the huntsmen ha'
sighted the quarry. Nothing but an un
wsrrantable amount Of liQnor could hav'
influenced them to conduct themselves a.
they did. for no sooner had they called
out from the right than Dick came to
sudden halt. leaped from the seat and raj
off towards thost who were hallooing.
For one instant my heart stopped bat
ing at the thought of the hazard which
was about to run. The next moment
sprnng from the coffin to the ground. A
few lightning like strokes and had sew
cred the traces and the hold backs of th.
harness,
The whole scene is vlvldly pictured In
my mind. The moOn-lighted prairie, thu
little ravine toward which the renegades
were dashing. the wagon stan ling in the
trail-then the ratiling Of the falling
thrills reached the ears of the party. and
with wild shout they turned toward me
~As os- Al.e .ho.a1..e heAl.- ,a.;~As-~a--
fined by the moonlight, felt sting in
my foot, another in my shoulder, but the
horse was unharmed and the race for life
began.
There was disheartening disadvantage
for me, for had no saddle, but was rid
ing for my life, and held my steed be
tween my knees. and took the broad trail
with the fury Of tornado. But the issue
would rest mostly with the horses. knew
nothing of the one which rude; l knew
,othlng Of those That were pursuing me.
my own white-faced mare. She
;ould run like On antelope and outwind Q
hurricane.
On and on my steed, desperately spurred
With the point of my kn:te, bore ahead.
'ctually causing me to gasp for breath;
md not two hundred yards in the rear
ode my would-be murdcrers.
On the rolling prairie now, and my AMI
nal took the declivities with plunge, and
he elevations with sure, fierce stride
cross the brawling ford-but crack cam.
mother rifle echo, and again stream Of
ire seemed to strike my shoulder. They
vere closing in-closing up. could now
make out only two horsemen following
me of these had discharged his rifle st
ne; the other / knew Was held in rest tor
he,n % come just few yards nearer.
A momentary dizziness lopped me over
pom my horses neck. The rufflians yelled
behind, but distant echo
roaght me up, and giving my poor beast
singing blow, I emitted the wild, fierce
ell Of the border rangers, and sped on
gain; but my horse had that peculiar
quirm now and theu in bic gait that told
10 b. was faltering,
Again that echo reached me, swelling
Ut on the rising wind-it was the shrillI
qucsl Of the tifo and the rum dIe-um.
id-e um dum-ipm, dunn of infantry re-
lrning from some EXPEDITION to Fort -
gain sent out that long, Wild borderf
eli, and knew BY the quicker breathing
{ the 6fe, and the rapid puIsing of the
rum. that the soldiers had broken into
be ''double-quick" in heed Of my cry.
A parting shot fired n random, and ,h..
70 desperadoes turned; bat one of them.
! least. l was not done with. / called
" horse with y peculiar whistle; repeat
! aud repeated it, and then heard him
'ashing again in pursuit. while his rider
routed and lasled him. and tried 70 pull
i'm round the other way. For = brief
me the desperate wrcstled With the anti
'al, lsshed. goaded and roared at her, but
y incessant jerky whistle call kept her
lind and head toward me. He Only CAV,
p the fruitlsss struggle and leaped from
~ back when squad of infantry dashed
yer bill0wy swell Of prairie, and rushed
own toward % ct the steady. measured
% which is 20 effective 10 contrast with .
gait.
"It's Wolf, boys" exclaimed, % they
lme mp with me-for knew his voice.
had no need TO tell them that there was
price ssa upon HE bead. - II had l,eenI
|early proved that he had stisred up theI
wages 70 commit hsoEe than one nsassa-
y of the setiIerS and dozen Of them.
ttesing yell OF fasy, stastsd IN pursuii;
'hils The Others, nOeiciax my swaying
bout or the animal which ] rode. began
, think that ! hsd found sosnethips esri-l
- in my racc for life. In fscs. the PLAN
- rising and falling and shalnssg ab0u,
. that it took 3 great amount Ut nerve /