Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-10-28

he said, "by feeling something cast
over my head, so that I could not utter
a sound, and then, in spite of my
struggles, [ was bound hand and foot.
There were two men-I know their
voices one was our drivers; and,
Harry, the other was John Barton's! l
saw him, too; he was the man who
Joined the train few days ago; that
heavy beard was a disguise They left
me lying there helpless, and crept to
the other end of the wagon, where the
partition hid them from my sight But,
oh. Harry. l heard Mary's half-stifed
shrek; l heard them lift her to the
ground, and heard the horses moving
away cautiously in the darkness. And
[ lay there like log, boy. suffering tor
ments, knowing that villains were steal
ing away my child, and that every mo-
ment added to their safety, while [
could not even give the alarm, till the
train-master came at daylight to rouse
me up. They have taken our best
wagon-horses, but these good fellows of
ours are sWifter and better beasts than
they, and though they have hours the
start, We'll overhaul them yet. Cheer
up, Harry; this is no time for q faint
heart.
Heart-sick, crushed, mortified, [ yet
stretched out my hand and grasped
that my friend held out to me, as
earnest of my determination to pUr-
sue, even to the death.
"Thank God" exclaim ed-''thank
God that we have two such good
horses to carry US, and such faithful,
ttTrqsty dog as Rover to guide us!
We should be helpless indeed without
our dumb friends"
THANK God for Them" Mr.. Scott
echoed. "And now here comes the
train-master with my saddle-bags filled
with provisions; they may be needed"
Five minutes more, and ne galloped
away from the camp, with many good
wish and expression of sympathy.
Had there been any horses there
able to keep pace with our own
thoroughbreds, we had not lacked COM
pany IN our wild ride over the short
turf of the prairies-short for not long
before q fire had swept over the prairies
and burnt of the tall grasses, and the
new growth was just springing up,
thick and velvet-ike.
On and on we galloped, not III swift,
transient bursts, Wearying alike to man
and beast, but in long steady leaps,
such as "spend, but waste not" and
Rover, faithful friend, unerring guide.
gallOped on before, turning neither to
the right nor the left Well he knew
that his mission was grave and noble
One-well he knew that work, not play,
was before him, and that it behoOved
him to be careful Of his strength.
And 50, all through the hot, sultry
day, we sped on and on, man and
horse and dog, without pause, or rest,
or talter, until, just as the sun was
sinking low III the west, our faithful
guide halted, and for the first time that
day banked and gamboied, and then
came rushing toward us, and laid ut
our feet & woman's (Mary's) glove!
And then our pent-up excitement
broke forth in a shout OF exultation, for
we now knew beyond i doubt that we
were on the right track. Not that we
had for moment distrusted Rover's
sagacity; but it was something to have
a proof tangible to oHr own inferior
senses.
[ snatched up the precious token,
and, pressing it to my lips, felt the
blood surge up into my face as Il paper
rustled inside; in u second l held little
penciled note in my trembling hand
just q few lines, in the characters [
knew and loved as well 1t read:
FATHER-HARRY: John Barton has not for
Al I 1,,,, I
Your horses are good, and Rover will guide Won
so keep up my courage. l write this hidden be-
hind the horses, which are lying down exhausted
while Barton and our treachcrous driver are dig
ging hole to get water for them. l shall place
this III nay glove, feeling sure that Rover will find
1t. Have no fear for me; if there is need my
poniard will defend me, but you viii find me before
that.
Together we read the priceless little
note over and over-Mary's father and
God oless ber?" he exclaimed my
brave girl"
And them am not ashamed to con-
fess tour tears fell together or the
brief lines her dear hand had traced
But there was no time for the indul-
gence Of sentiment, only for action
stern, speedy action. Looking up from
the scrap of paper in our hands, we
saw that Rover and our poor foam
fiecked horses had found the hole dug
by the fugitives, and were drinking in
huge draughts of the clear, pure water,
that their labor had provided for our
refreshment
1t must have cost them at least three
hours hard work, without implements
as they were, and that was SO much
clear gain to us-a gain of time and a
gain of water, without which our own
sturdy animals could not have
pushed on much longer.
We allowed them to crop the short
grass for half an hour, that they might
start with renewed vigor; and we; too,
needed this short rest and such refresh
ment as we could force ourselves to
swallow; but scarce was the half hour
passed, than we We're laundering over
the prairie again.
The country was no longer the dead
level that it had been at the start; it
was III spots rough and broken, and be
fore us we could see the thick haze
that betokened the vast masses of the
Rocky Mountains looming up toward
the sky.
Little hills and hollows crossed our
headlong path; rocks, large and small,
single and in groups, lay here and there;
but never once did Rover hesitate or
turn aside. On and on he went, with
nose to the ground, keeping just ahead
of the painting horses.