Fair play., 1875-02-18

They continued TO hallOo at each other
for some time: their liberal pOtatiOns sur
mounting their discretion.
! Dick they called back as they were
driving off. ~ cool twelve hundred apiece
throw out your Old shell and join the
hunt"
| The driver E,umbled something, but
the whisky had thickened his speech so
| tba. it was uninrelligible to me.
! If he did attempt TO move the collin,
was lost.
They kept within hailing distance for
| the length OF some three o. four miles.
Dick smashing the heavy wagon along at
a stunning gait !; and l expected every
moment thai my shell would be jostled
out.
By and by there was a shout OFF to the
right; italy no." as if the huntsmen
had sighted the quarry. Nothing but an
unwarrantable amount Of liquor could
have influenced them TO conduct them
selves rs they did. for no sooner had they
called out from the right, than Dick came
to sudden halt, leaped from the seat. and
ran off toward those who were hallOOing.
| For one instant my heart stopped beat
ing at the thought Of the hazard which l
was about to run. The next moment |
sprang frvm the coffin to the ground. A
few liyltning-like strokes, and had sew
cred the traces and the hold-backs Of the
harness.
The whole scene is wildly pictured in
my mind. The mOOn-liyhted prairie, the
little ravine towards which the renegadeS
were dashing. the wagon standing in the
trail-then the rattling Of the falling thilis
reached the ears Of the party. and with a
wild shout they turned toward me. was
on the horses back, but boldly defined by
the moonlight. There was the sharp re-
port of two rifles. l felt 4 sting in my
| foot, another in my shoulder. but the
horse was unharmed and the race for life
| began.
There was a lisheartening disadvantage
for me, for Lad no saddle. but was rid
ing for my life, and held my steed be
tween nv knees, and took the broad trail
| with the fury OF Il tornado. But the issue
| would rest mostly with the horses. l
knew nothing Of the one which | rode ;
| knew nothing of those that were pursu-
ing me, excepting my own whlte-faced
mare. She could run like an antelope and
Olit-wind hurricane.
| On and on my steed. desperately spurr-
ed with the point Of my knife, bore ahead.
actually causing me to gasp for breath ;
and not two hundred yards in the Tear
rode my would-bs mu-derers.
On the rolling prairie now. and my ami
NAL took the declivities with a plunge,
and the elevations with sure, fierce
stride-acrOss the brawling fOrd-but
crack came another rifle echo, and again a
stream of fire seemed to strike my shOul-
der, They were closing in-clOsing up.
| could now make out only two horse
men following. One Of these had dis
charged his rifle at me, the other l knew
was held in rest for them to come up just
a few yards nearer.
A momentary dizziness Topped me over
upon my horses neck. The ruilians yell
I'd triumphantly behind. but distant echo
brought me up, and, giving my poor beast
a singing blow, emitted the wild. long
7 fierce veil Of the border rangers. and sped
on again but my horse had that peculiar
sQirm now and then in his gai. that told
me ne was faltering.
Again that echo reached me, swelling
out on the rising wind-it was the shrlll
sGneal of the fife and the run-diddle um
did-e-um- -tlum-dum, dun Of infantry re-
turning from some expedition to FOrl
H.. Again sent out that long. wild,
border yell. and I knew by the quicker
breathing of the fife. and the rapid pulls
ing of the drum. that the soldiers bat
broken into the ''double-quick" in heet
of my cry.
A parting shot fired at random. and thu
two desperaiOcs turned; but one of them
at least. l was not done with. called my
horse with peculiar whistle; l repeatet
and repeated it, and then heard hin
crashing again i'm pursuit. while his ride
shouted and lashed him, and tried to pull
him round the other way. For 4 bric
time the desperadO wrestled with the ami
NAL. lashed, goaded and rOared at her, bu
NV incessant. jerky whistle-call kept heI
mind and head toward me. He only gav'
up the fruitless struggle and leaped from
her back when squad of infantry dashed
over a hillowy swell of prairie. and rushc,
down toward US at that steady. measure.
run which is so effective in contrast will
disorderly gait. .
ats Wolf. boys."I exclaimed as the!
came up with me-for l knew his voice
had no need To tell them that there was
price set upon his head. rs it had beer
, clearly proved that he had stirred up tn
tsavayrs to commit more than one m1ssacr
, Of the settlers; and dozen of them. ut
. tering a yell of fury. started in pursuit
. while the others, noticing me swayin:
about on the animal which rode, begal
tothink that [ had found something seri
, ouAin nv race for life. In fact, the pail
, waSrising and falling and shuflling abo''
, so that it took a great amount Of nerv
,, and sauipoise to sit as ought. They GO
me into Fort Laramie. however, with Cn
i cle's promissory notes all safe in my breas
. pocket: while my boot full Of blood, an
. the CALLING fiesh-wounds in my shoulder
! accounted for the odd maneuverings Of tn
, plain while was on horseback.
|. After brief but desperate conflict, Bill
) Wolf was brought In. and passed over I
! the proper officers Ito have and to hold
until there should be meted out 10 him tn
, measure he had given others.-Peterson'
= Journal.
r