The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-07-04

point where the angle of the wood
reached the edge Of the road. and with
ont apparent cause the horse started
into gallop. 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. l
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.
Just as the passage through the forest
seemed most favorable.
As soon as found the horse was not
to be stopped 1 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 l had read of in
Arabia, he would take his course for his
masters haDitation, let it be where it
would. The man with whom 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-hke
rapidity. but they were systematically
arranged as they came, and l knew that
l had been trapped, and that the animal
was bearing me to the haunt OF the rob-
bers. For a moment there was de-
sire to 90 on and meet the rascals, but
that would only be madness. / must
get out of the saddle somehow.
Ha! the opportunity presented itself.
Ahead / saw stream of water. l
withdrew my feet from the stirrups and
placed my hand upon the pommel. One
more leap and the horses feet touched
the pebbly shore. With sudden spring
l lifted myself clear of the saddle, and
as the beast flew from beneath me l
dropped into the brook without hurt of
any kind. AS quickly as possible l
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 for
his rider, and for a moment l thought
of firing pistol-ball at him. However,
1 did not waste my powder, and in a
little while the animal turned and trot-
ted off and was soon out of sight.
Now, what should dop Or course
must get out of the wood; and to do
that safely 1 must go back by the way
we had come. looked to my pistols
and started. The sun gave me my di-
recticn, so I could make no mistake.
By-and-by l heard the tread of horse
ahead, and as quickly as possible 1
found shelter behind huge pine tree.
The horse came along within hun
bred yards of me. The horseman was
my honest countryman who feared l
might be a robber. and the horse was
the one / had owned an hour before.
The animal still foamed at the mouth,
but cantered along without apparent
trouble. So the ''pison'' had not been
so very deadly; and, moreover, the
punching in the gullet had not been
without its effect. Surely the plan had
been q cute one, and the game had
been adroitly played-only had
CHANGED to gain one effective play be-
fore their game could be finished.
l remained behind the tree until the
horseman disappeared and then moved
on again. Had been nearer. to the
rascal l might have intercepted him.
but as it was the thing could not well
be done. l hurried forward with all
possible speed, and in little while
after reached the highway l lad the
good fortune to be overtaken by man
in a wagon. When l first hailed him
he drew a pistol, and seemed disin-
clined to stop; but in a moment more
he recognized ME as one whom he had
seen on the road beyond Clayville the
day before, and finally pulled up and
addressed me. l soon convinced him
that was an honest man, and he took
ME in. He was bound TO Booneton,
and was glad that he had found safe
company; but did not tell him what
had discovered. Iexplained the fact OF
my being afoot by telling how my
horse had failed me by the wayside.
reached Booneton by the middle o.
The forenoon, where l found two
shrewd, intelligent-looking officers, tt
whom communicated my secret. ant
together we laid q plan for finding tn,
ROBBERS. On the following day we.dis
guised ourselves and proceeded to tina
point in the road where the trained
horse had turned off into the wood, Blu
we found nothing. On the next day W,
went again, and this time we had th'
good fortune to meet my honest-look
ing horse-trader astride of the very an
imal that had carried me to the brook
He did not recognize me, and readil,,
stopped when my companions halte'
him; and, as may be supposed. w
captured him without much trouble
At first he expressed much surprise, bu
when he came to recognize me h
ceased his railing and professed will
ingness to go with us where we pleased
We carried him to Booneton, and Will
the officers were taking him into tn
tavern 1 took good care that his hors
was safely housed in the stable. Th
fellow gave his name as Mark Sackett
and swore that he knew nothing of an
robbers or anything of that kind. All
touching the affair of the horse, he d.
clared that that was something whic
he could not explain. He said that b
saw me when l was carried into tt
woods. and as the horse had left wit
, him began to revive he had mounte
and followed me. Beyond this we coul
, get nothing from him.
But had an idea of my own. 1 b
, lieved that if there was haunt of rOI
bers anywhere in the wood, the pri
oner's horse would take us there. ar
when gave my opinion to the officer
they jumped at the conclusion. 1t W;
; now only an hour past noon, and
) less than an hour we had twenty me
well mounted and well armed, ready
follow US. The black horse was led GU