West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-11-24


changed his pace to gallop. threw ur
his heels, and headed for the range. He
was soon out of sight, and the chase wa.
abandoned.
At daylight next morning the strang,
horse looked down from the ridge again
and 10y and by walked down To within
pistol shot of the fort. A band of sixty
friendly Indians, out on hunt, had
halted at the fort the night previous, and
they were anxious 10 organize a new
chase. More than eighty well-mounted
pursuers were ready soon after break.
fast. some rode to cut of retreat TO the
range, and Others galloped down the
valley. An hour after they were out of
sight the main body made a dash for
the horse, which had been grazing for
the last half hour. He took To the val
ley as before, and men dropped out at
every mile To push him as he returned.
White Devil was pushed faster than
before, but he would neither break his
trot nor let n horseman get within a
hundred feet of him. The Indians who
had gone on ahead were expecting him
To turn TO the left, as before, but the
wild horse kept straight ahead rs he
reached the mouth of the valley. He
ran out on the prairie for twenty miles,
tiring out every horse i'm pursuit. and
then wheeled and returned over his route
of the previous day. Men were waiting
for him, but he scarcely appeared be
fore he was out of sight. He was pac-
ing and trotting 10y turns, and not until
he reached the end of that eighty mile
chase did he break into run. When
near the fort he crossed the ridge, shook
.ANI In lsa.ss 4 4
canon i'm the mountains. The Indians
traced him until the canon split into
three or four rocky defies, and then they
camped down with the determination TO
wait till hunger and thirst should drive
the fugitive out. Darkness cames mid
night came, and the watchers had heard
nothing.
With the soft tread of a wolf. almost.
foe stole upon the Indians sleeping un-
der the walls of the fort. Step! step!
stepl anda white object stood within
ten feet of the first sleeper and peered
this way and that. 1t was White Devil
The red men were still waiting i'm the
dark canon, but the horse had emerged
from the range by some dciile known
and used before.
The sentinel at the gate heard a
of the dying camp fires flung high in the
air, and the next moment the Indians
were yelling and screaming i'm alright.
Back and forth charged the horse, strik-
ing, kicking, and uttering wild neighs,
and he did not disappear until the roll
of the drum called the soldiers TO arms.
The Indians had suffered such dam
ages that they were determined To kill
no CT fpr IL, 4.
came, though his life had heretofore
been held sacred He was heard racing
up and down while night lasted, and
when morning broke he was in plain
sight. The Indian heart almost relented
at sight Of the strong limbs, milk
white coat, and silver eyes, but White
Devil dared them to the attack by pranc-
ing up and down and hinging his heels
about.
Separating into squads Of ten, the red
men rode out on the prairie. White
Devil stood still, ears fiat TO his head lip
down, and one fOrefOot raised little.
When three of the squad were within
pistol shot they halted, and thirty rifles
covered the brave lone horse. While
they were thus held he gathered his feet
like cat and dashed at the nearest
horsemen. A roar of rifles and volley
of bullets stopped him. Struck by a
score of balls, he halted reared up, shook
his beautiful head in agony of pain, and
fell and died withouta grOan. The In
dians gathered around, but they did not
exult As they stroked his glossy neck
and sleek sides they said to one another
He was brave! We will paint his
picture ON our war shields, and the body
shall be buried from the wolvesv'