Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-12-16

b morning, my jaded steed and 1 agail
r set forth upon the track, was almos
g bare of verdure. The long drought
: and the heat of the scorching sun, hae
t withered every green blade, while pool
r and creeks which ought to have beer
full OF sweet, pure water, were now
mere belts of single, or hollows paved
with dried clay. l shared the las
, drops of the precious fluid I carried in
J my canteen, and the last of the bleach.
, ed corn, with Sunbeam, and the good
horse seemed as though he were CRATES
full for, and understood the..kindness,
for he rubbed his velvet muzzle caress-
ingly against my hand as I stroked his
neck, no longer sleek and smooth as
satin, for fatigue and privation had
roughened his coat, and dimmed the
fire of his eye. Suddenly, as I stood
beside him, I looked back, and saw
what made, for the moment, my very
heart cease to beat, as if an icy touch
had frozen the blood in my veins.
Spears, and plumed heads, and wild
forms, whose shields and scarlet blank
cts and bufalo>robes were distinctly to
be seen. were crowed at the top of a
rising ground, coming on over the
prairie at an easy, swinging gallop,
which mustang can keep up for half
day AS set my foot in the stirrup,
and leaped into my saddle, the Indians,
silent till then, set up their fearful war
whoop, and with yells and frantic gest-
ures dashed on their steeds, and took
up the pursuit with fury that suffic-
iently indicated what would be my fate
should / be overtaken. Then began
desperate contest-a race for life or
death. Sunbeam answered CALAMITY
to my call, aud for the first four or five
miles saw little of the enemy; but
on they came pitilessly, and soon
seemed to gain ground. Had it been
on the first day of the journey I coulw
have laughed at my parsuers, but noed
the superiority of my noble horse, in
stride and strength, was neutra,ized by
the comparative freshness of the shaggy
steeds on which the Apaches were
mounted. I groaned as 1 felt Sum
beam flag beneath me, though ! urged
on with voice and hand.
Miles upon miles of rolling prairi
were traversed, my horse keeping the
lead and speeding on with courage
undated, but staggering as he went
and bearing heavily on the bit as we
descended the frequent slopes. The
Indians saw their advantage and pressed
on, making every effort to come up
with me- One arrow slightly wounded
my horse in the neck second brush,
ed my cheek, making me feel as though
hot iron had been drawn across it.
But maddened with excitement I
spurred Sunbeam on, shook off the
pursuers for while and presently saw
cleaning before me the waters of a
swiftly flowing river, which could be
no other than the ella; while beyond
it rose the stockaded walls of a lonely
buildlng-Fort Webster, doubtless.
''On, Sunbeam, on! One more eff.
fort, brave horse-one more and we
are safe! !"
Ipa'ted my steed's reeking neck as
| vociferated the words; the gallant
horse responded to my appeal and still
reeled onward. The flyer, bordered by
tall trees and cane brakes, was very
near. | could hear its rush and ripple,
when Sunbeam, dead beat, stumbled,
fell on his knees, and sank slowly
down. There was an arrow, unknown
to me, sticking in his flank, and the
noble brute had actually been bleeding
to death as be carried his master with
unfaltering spirit over leagues of the
weary prairie. For the moment l
almost forgot my imminent peril in
grief for the loss of my brave compan
ion; but little timeswas left for regrets,
for already the ground shook beneath
the thunder Of hurrying horse hoofs as
with yells and outcries of barbarous
triumphs the Indians came racing up
behind.
Thirty yards before me lay the river,
but it was too deep and rapid for man
readily to SWIM or wade, and though /
was weary and worn, yet l could not
bear to abandon life while chance res
NAMED. My pistol was in my belt bu,
my oarbine was strapped to the saddle
of the dead horse, and SO were the
bags which held the money of Curtis
Brothers, and these l snatched up,
though | had scanty prospect of saving
either property or life, so near were the
ruthless foes. They were but six
lances' length away from mo as l
plunged into the brnshwood, intending
to take shelter among the tall reeds of
the bank in the faint hope that the
clamors of the Apaches might bring
out the troops from the fort. To my
great joy, however, on reaching the
river bank beheld moored to the stem