St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-07-26

'sthat bosses pick up hereabouts. He'll De
well enough by tomorrow OF next day.
at the farthest."
s.If that's the case said, ''perr,.
haps you'll let me bargain for yours.
Il never owned anything yet that l
wouldn't sell if man wanted It more
Ibid" he replied.
"Well," I said, ''and may | ask what
price you set on your heast!
''Jest seventy dollars. =
l had expected to hear him say a
hundred. / took him at his offer in
moment.
The bargain was made; | counted out
seven ten dollar pieces, put my saddle
and bride upon the new horse and then
mounted.
.sPerhaps, y said the fellow, as he gave
the sick horse another punch in the Gull
let, IF / should meet you in Booneton
one O. these days We might like to change
back again ?''
| told him we'd see about that, and
then, bidding him good morning. l
started off.
had certainly got splendid horse.
He stepped as lightly and gracefully as
dancing master, and bore me as easily
as though ] had been in carriage. In
| a little while touched him with the
whip and he pranced gayly. patted
him on the neck and told him that |
liked him. We were now just at the
point where the angle OF the wood
reached the edge of the road, and Wlth-
out apparent cause the horse started
into a pallop. | spoke to him and tried
to hold him in, but he only went the
faster. In few minutes he wheeled
out of the road and struck into the
wood, and now he ran for dear life. !
yelled with all my might and tugged at
the rein till my arms ached, but could
neither turn his head or slacken his
/ speed. He flew on like the wind, Sc
! lecting his course where the trees were
farthest apart-feW on, sweeping
now to the right and now to the left,
lust as the passage through the forest
| seemed most favorable.
| AS soon as l found the horse was not
to be stopped turned my attention in
another direction, and very quickly it
flashed upon me that the flying beast
had been trained to just this kind OF
| work. Like horses had read of in
Arabia, he would take his course for his
masters hapitation, let it be where it
would. The man with whom l had
traded was one of the gang, and there
must have been another at the
| stable of the inn at Clayville who
had given my horse something to make
him sick. These thoughts only passed
through my mind with lightning-like
rapiditv, but they were Systematically
arranged as they came, and I knew that
had been trapped, and that the animal
was bearing me to the haunt of the rob
bers. For a moment there was q de
sire to 90 on and meet the rascals, but
that would only be madness. mus
get out of the saddle somehow.
Ha! the opportunity presented itself
Ahead / saw a stream Of water.
withdrew my feet from the stirrups anc
placed my hand upon the pommel. Ont
more leap and the horses feet touched
the pebbly shore With sudden sprinG
I lifted myself clear of the saddle, anC
as the beast flew from beneath me
dropped into the brook without hurt o
any kind. AS quickly as possible
scrambled up the bank, and when
reached the wood stopped to consider
The horse had stopped on the opposite
side of the stream as though looking TO
his rider, and for a moment I though
of firing pistol-ball at him. However
I did not waste my powder, and in
little while the animal turned and trot
ted off and was soon out Of sight.
Now, what should do? Or course
must get out Of the wood; and to d.
that safely must go back by the wa,
we had come. / looked to my pistol
and started. The sun gave me my di
lection, so could make no mistake
By-and-by / heard the tread of hors
ahead, and as quickly as possible
found shelter behind huge Pine tree
The horse came along within a hun
bred yards of me. The horseman WA
my honest countrynan who feared
might be d robber, and the horse wa
the one had owned an hour before
The animal still foamed at the mouth
but cantered along without apparen
trouble. So the s.pison'' had not bee
so very deadly; and, moreover, tn
punching in the gullet had not bee
without its effect. Surely the plan ha,
! been a cute one, and the game ha,
been adroitly played-only | ha
! CHANGED to gain one effective play be
fore their game could be finished.
/ remained behind the tree ylntil tn
horseman disappeared and Thea move
on again, Had / been nearer to tn
rascal / might have Intercepted him
but as it was the thing could not wei
be done. | hurried forward with al
possible speed, and in little Will
after reached the highway had tn
good fortune to be overtaken by ma
in wagon. When l first hailed hir
he drew a pistpl, and seemed disin
y clined to stop; but in moment NOR
|, T he recogn zed me as one whom he ha
I sean nrS tEA road havnnd ClaNvilla th