Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-11-05
hose acquainted with lis associa.

lions.
As the front is generally Accented 90
post OF danger, Captain Burnham
placed himself there, comneIling yornr
JACK to keep well to the rear
ohthe left, the ground was so roueh
anu stony that a mountain goat could
not make his way over it with apy,
9hihg IKE comfort. 1t will be seen hat
was inviting cover for Indians
though the hiding places were by NO
means numerous. az
AT the critical point. fire was spd
oenly opened on the TROOPERS. The
apaches aimed so well that three ri
n horsemen were struck. thouob
Lney Kept their saddles. Capt. Burn.
nam and his men wheeled. and lean.
ing TO the ground, dashed in among
the rocks, routing out the treacherous
req men and shooting as fast as the
targets presented themselves.
The Apaches we're not numerous
out they fought fiercely, as they al.
ways do. Captain Burnham and his
men had been taught in the school of
General Crook, and they sneed;ly
scattered their assailants, who leaped
or lodged from boulder to boulder
with an agility that saved man a
uusky marauder for future foravs,
The troopers left in charge of the
horses called to the others, who in
stantly returned. The red men had
regalned their own mustangs and bva
dextrous manguvre, separated Jack
Burnham's from the Others. When
II captain and the rest OF his men
sprang INTO their saddles again, they
saw the boy urging his steed to theut-
o pursued by a dozen mount.
ed Apaches, who were forcing their
animals TO the highest notch.
That's all on account OF the cup OF
water given that young imp" mutter-
ed the officer, COMPRISING his Iips:
they have singled out my Jack for
capture that they may put him to the
torture come, boys, hot work awaits
u.s.
Leaving their wounded comrades.
whocOuld not stand theterrifc riding,
thetroopers dashed after their leader,
as eager as he to save the imperilled
youth.
The picture was "A thrilling one. In
the distance could be seer the black
mustang of Jack Burnham stretching
away on a dead run, head extended,
name and tail flying, while the cloak
and hair OF the rider streamcd in the
wind.
Less than 200 yards behind the hy-
ing fugitive, were the Apaches thunder
ing after him. All were spIendidly
mounted, and there are no finer horse
men in the void.
The singular double race had on
tlnued only a few minutes, when the
fearful truth became manifest; the
Apaches were better mounted than
either the fugitive or their " pur-
suers. They were steadily gaining up
on Jack Burnham.
The boy vas seen to glance alright
eddy ' his shoulder several times,
but he, too. kept his mustang running
a. lac never ran before. His fight
drew him into a narrow valley in the
mountains, WEIGH led, no one beside
the Apache could tell where.
Jack inherited the GOODNESS Of his
father. Seeing that he was losing
ground, he abruptly wheeled almost
at right angles, and dashed into still
narrower valley or gorge which pre-
sen cd itself. This manpuvre shut
him from sight OF friends and foes, for
a minute or two, but the latter felt
that the struggle a already decided,
and gave utteranCe TO many shouts
OF eXultatiOn as they Numbered after
him.
A groan escaped Captain Durham,
whose face was white as death. No
one spoke, but with the same resolve
in every heart, they plunged into the
gorge after both parties.
A brief, fierce run and the race was
decieed; the Apaches had overtaken
the fugitive. The troopers saw the
mustang and it's rider, his hair and
cloak no longer flying, surrounded by
the red men who had captured them
beyond all chance of escaping.
Still Captain Burnham and his men
pressed forward, but in a short time
not an Indian was visible; their match,
mustangs had carried them and
their captive beyond reach.
There was much OF the Roman
stermness in the character OF Capt.
when, finding it IA ahOpe-
less chase, he wheeled his horse, and
gave the order to withdraw. The
troopers eallOpcd down the gorge in
their mustangs streaming
with perspiration and foam, for the
day wasa scorching one, ever fOrthat
latitude, and the beasts had been
forced to the uttermost vergeOf endur-
ance.
"HIalloo, hallool'
The squad of cavalry were near the
point where the gorge reopened into
the valley, when they were halted by
the sight OF a barcheaded figure, stand
ing mOtiOnlcss and waving it's arms as
if to attract their notice. A second
made known The astounding
fact that it was young Jack Burnham.
minute later he was Clasped in the
OF his overjoyed father, and his
wonderful story was told.
Despair vas i'll hisharrt as he wheel
ed his mustang into the gorge, but at
the critical moment, Zidda, the young
ran out from behind tbs
and, finGing up his hands,
to him in Spanish TO halt,
IN a twinkling, Zidda explained that
he meant 10 take the place OF the
fugitive. The cloak OF Jack was trans-
ierred to his shoulders, his sombrero
onhis crown the young In
dian vaulted upon the back OF the
painting steed, and called out:
Hide yourself! ] do this for thecup
waterl'
In what manner Zidda made his
explanations to and peace with his
yengeful country-men will probably
never be known, but that he succeed
ed is proven by the fact that he was
seen and spoken to by Jack Burnham
more than a year latter,
EDWARD =. ELLIS,