The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-11-19


untecred 10 accompany him; and she
was glad Of the chance, for accustomed
scenes and people had become painful
10 her. ...
Sitting on her saddle, with the Texan
prairie land around her, she reviewed the
past with bitter sorrow. She was
awakened from her reverie by the sounds
Of approaching horses hoofs.
On the opposite side Of the river,
which the drought had narrowed 10 .
small turbulent stream, Alice saw q
band Of horscmen. They were approach
ing. She drew back amid the trees and
watched them. As they came nearer,
she saw they were Comanche Indians
They reached the opposite bank, and
stopped 10 parley. Their attention
seemed fixed on some object In the dis
tance. Alice looked in the direction in
dicsted BY their gestures, and saw the
dusky forms composing herd of bufa-
Ices outlined against the glowing sky.
The Comanches evidently resolved to
pursue the flying herd. To Alice. great
relief, they dashed away, leaving only
three of their number ON the river bank.
Looking closely al these three-which
she could easily do, as the rives at this
point was extremely narrow-she no
ticed that one of them was q white man.
He was very pale, and his hunting shirt
was blood. stained. His hands were bound
together with thongs, and he hung upon
his horses neck as il too weak TO sit up-
right. Without doubt he was q captive,
and the two Indians had been left to
guard him. The Comancbes had their
hacks turned toward her, and were fol-
lowing with their eyes the course Of
their companions. She could, however,
plainly see the features Of the captive.
Her face grew white as she locked, and
she nearly reeled from her saddle. The
captive was Guy Phillips!
With a great, almost supcrhuman eff.
fort she collected her faculties, in order
to answer the question, What is TO be
donei
Her first thought was to blow the
whistle in the end Of her riding whip,
the sound of which, II heard, would
bring her brother and his dependents to
her rescue. But she felt sure that it
would not be heard, for the Ranch was
too far away, and her signal of distress
would draw the attention of the Conan
ches to her without producing any good
effect.
The banks of the river were rugged,
high and rocky; the stream itself-a
brawling, tumultuous thread of water
was barely visible from their height.
A bold idea entered Alice's mind. 1t
was q womanly idea; to q man it would
have seemed impracticable. She put her
hand into the holster of her saddle. 10
feel that her toy-like pistols were safe.
How thankful she was that she had COM
piled with Toms request, and carried
these weapons!
Taking revolver in one hand and her
whip in the other, she prepared to leap
the river. The mere thought of this at
tempt would have chilled the heart of
the most infatuated English fox-hunter,
for although the stream was narrow for a
rirer, yet it was terrible leap.
Saying prayer in her heart, she made
ready 10 descend among the unconscious
enemy, holding the reins between her
teeth.
"On, Dion, onp The whip fell sting
ingly on the noble animals TANKS. The
horre reared. Then he seemed almost to
stretch out into black line. His fore
feet struck the edge of the other bank.
Down came the whip. He gathered
himself up. Horse and rider had leaped
the river.
The astOnished Comanches turned and
viewed the apparition in amazement.
Alice leveled her pistol at the nearest
Indian, and fired. He wavered In his
seat, and then fell with crashing thud
to the ground. Alice dropped her whip
and seized the bride of Guy Phillips
horse. She heard Guy murmur her
name.
"Use your spurs, If you cant" she
said. Now"
The frightened animals were headed
towards the river. She used the butt OF
her pistol To urge them on. 1t seemed
as If her brave spirit awed the horses in
to obedience. With . bound, which
seemed rs if it would crack their sinews,
they cleared the gull.
The Comanche attempted to follow,
but his horse refused the leap. Infuri-
ated, the Indian goaded the animal to
it. The horse barely touched the bank
with his front hoofs, struggled to gain it
Tor an instant, and then horse and rider
'ank down into the channel beneath.
Stopping but a moment to cut the
Lhongs which hound (suy philliDs' arms