The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-27
the HUNTERS LAST SHOT,

Away like the wind over the
grassy plain ilcw the noble horse
like Il rushing tornado i'll his real
came the score Of savage t0manch'
warriors. To the ears of the iu2i
tiyc there came floating Oh the
breeze, above the thunder Of the
horses heels, the wild cries with
which they maintaincd the pursuit
Jack Leonard looked over his
shoulder with no little anxiety
He saw, the sunlight glinting from
the spears and tramppings Of his
pursuers, and noticing the fresh
ness Of their mustangs, knew that
his case was indeed desperate.
lie was accounted a bold man by
those who knew him best, but he
was young, and possessed Il desire
for life us well rs the next one
The situation in which he now
found himself was indeed alarming
His horse had already fatigucc
by a long journey when the redskins
first gave chase, and as their steec
were fresh, there could only be ON
termination to the run, unless some
thing turned up in his behalf, whicl
was very improbable, TO say th'
l. ast.
Jack was one Of the Lone Stal
States gallant sons. lie had
fought with Houston and Bowie
and other brave spirits of that ter
rible struggle, and when Texas wa
at length free from the McX'ca
woke then Jack turned his thought,
into another channel.
There was Il cen tain little girl on
the border who had Iong a9t
captured his heart, and Jack had
given up his rowing habits amt set
tied down as a farmer aud cattle
raiser.
His stock farm was many miles
away from the home Of Hetty san
ford. and so his visits were only
made once a month They were tc
be married the next fall, and Jack
was counting the days until lovely
October could be aroaud.
1t was while making one Of these
periodical visits that h. was dis
covered and chased by his band
o" CGnanchcs, who thought they
rguocniZ.d in Lin II noted hunter
whom they ow'd a terrible '!rht.
His horse had been making GOO q
sa.ci ever since dawn. aAd by thi
me thrt half OF the ltcrnooH had
pissed vas ANYTHING bat fresh
i, k had calculated npnn reaching
the I.omr Of hi1 hctro;h'd Il lit
before sunset, but now the chances
ni hIs ever scciGg his ile!tlc agaln
seemed exceedingly doubtful, as th'
sturdy little mustangs Of hls pur
;uers were gralully d 'rrasin=
the d;stai &c that scpar'' hun
from them. and there c"ll'i hardi,
he a doubt but thai i less than
half an hour they wou' have come
80 close to him that further tli3h
would be madness.
On like the rushing wind they
swept, the gallant bay responding
nobly to the words of her master
anil vet it did not need practica
.yc ,o see that she was laborin.
heavily.
Jack oritted his teeth and grasp
ed his rife more firmly in his han'
as he 10 ,kcd back and saw how fear
iully near his deadly foes ha'
drawn. They were st,ung out in
line, and the foremost was not owe
one hundred yards behind the ba.
mare.
Ten minutes more, yes. even hal
of that space of time, and he wonl'
be compelled to turn at bay, even
his horse already running IN
steadily--should hold ont hat Ions
Was it fated that he should ncvc
see bis darling again? The though
was agony, but beyond Sigh
shudder passing through his slcr
der frame, Jack Leonard gave n
evidence of the despair that seize
upon him.
His eyes ranged the plain in fron
Of him and lighted upon sma
elevation. .hardly worthy OF til
lname, and yet of inestimable vaiu