The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-04-08

"%f t|"K run WIN more IMAM once
was tempted % stop and collect u hca,
q stones and try % Keep the hounds n
nay until help should arrive. Reflect
ing, however. that IL might be an houl
or two before the kennelman discovered
Inc whereabouts 81 his lost pack. I 4
up the idea for the present. and moved
On with all the speed could muster
Since losing my trail the hounds hid
been silent, and I began 10 Halter nv.
self that they had lost the track. when
suddenly the recommenccment IL their
cries told me that they had hit on thu
scent again.
On, on | tottercd. my head Keeling
and my eyes swimming with the IN,
wonted exertion. Thoughts Of the home
might never see again floafed across
my brain and renewed my failing
strength. Ny pursuers were gaining
last now. and already no more than 4
couple Of hundred yards interviewed be-
tween Us. Presently. a sudden increase
in the music behind-which lust then
was anything but music 10 m-e-cnused
me 70 look round. when / saw that
The hounds had viewed their quar-.
ry, and with heads in the air.
were racing on at well nig' ,uble their
former speed. Incrcasi-S nv pace
without even looking where L ran. /
caught my foot in 4 tuft Of grass and
nearly fell, turning half round IN NV
efforts TO save myself.
II was q fortunate trip for me-: for al
q short distance on, on my right. | saw
= stuntcd oak, nearly dead, il Is true.
Y high enough from the ground 10
ailord me a safe resting place, il only
could climb up into the branches before
the dogs reached me. II / had not
trippcd | should have passed this tree
without seeing IL until II was too late
70 be Of service TO me, for II was hidden
BY some higher ground from nv view
until | reached the spot where | nearly
fell. and then | was past IL.
With the little strength I had left |
dashed for the tree; bat. TO my dismay,
saw that the lower branches were be-
yond my reach. No time was TO be
lost, for already the hounds were close
AZ hand. Suddenly l remembered that
had my bnitefily-nef. which, provi-
dentially. was strong and serviccable.
ID my hand; and on reaching the loot
81 the tree ! hooked the ring Of the net
the broken stump Of q bough. AMI
by dint Of almost s~uperhuman cxertion
1 managed. l hardly know how. 10
the rough bark and drag myself
INTO the polled head Of the tree. / was
Just in time. for. as ] reached this
place OF safety. the hounds were round
ne foot OF the tree. baying ~furiously.
Feeling q deadly f~aintness creeping
over me, ! had enough presence Of mind
EFT TO undo the stout leathcrn belt
wore round my waist, and fasfen myself
,y II 20 m Of the branches. Then the
Of the hounds, the rustlinc OF
ne leaves. and. As / fancied. the blow
NJ of 2 horn, were mingled together
u = confused murmur- and | swooned.
When l recovered consciousness.
vas stretched on The ground. nv head
supported on the knees III the old ken
lehman; while one Of his assistants was
attempting TO pour 4 little brandy
trough my clenchcd teeth. Nv old
'ursuers were lying on the ground close
~. watching the proceedings with sol
mn indifference; and a couple OF horses
ere cropping the grass 4 few PAGES
way. 1 was soon sufficiently restored
? mount n Of tho horses: and. as we !
'alked slowly home. the old man told
how il happened that the hounds
al broken loose. He had taken them
for q run on the heath as usual. he I
aid, when suddenly they appeared 10
IL off a trail Of some kind. Thinking. (
| did when | first heard them. that !
ne Of the deer had escaped from the !
ark. ne encouraged them TO follow up l
'e scent; and, as he was riding over I
rough ground. his horse put his 4
'ot ~ = rabbits burrow and fell, !
'rowing him heavily. The old man =
As somewhat stunned BY the fall; and 2
hen he came TO himself he found that 4
n hounds were away. and the horse
VI evidently gone back 20 the stables.
hither he also fastened. and found his
'rse; and taking one OF his .helps-
ith him, he set OF in search Of the 5
FUNDS. Meanwhile these had followed p
b trail by themselves, with the Il
suits mentioned above. The two men e
&c after them IS well as they could. p
wing only the sound. and that 1t r
mes very faint. 70 guide them. The
ture Of the ground over which they 2
ire riding obliged them 10 proceed q
and i was some time, probably. Il
er | had tainted that. instead OF the
cr they expected 10 find. they had q
me upon me hanging BY my belt in g
} tree. re
\ Would the hounds have killed me Y
had not been able TO lind shelter?r "
PRESENTLY asked. re
\ Yes; most certainly they would" "
> the old mans reply, " IL they had
~ left 70 themselves" vi
What q narrow escape i felt hal \
" But for the refuge ~ that solitary N
9 my life would most certainly have "
n sacrificed. When al length Y
ched my cousins house the reaction n
lsequcnt upon the intense excitement
thc past few hours had begun. and 4 q