The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-08-25
mrvev tn. ,otruders who had disturbed

grand in his beauty-a peerless horse.
Awhile they 'gazed, and then the
hunters hand stole slowly to his waist.
The deadly revolver came forth. rose
to the level. and, motionless. covered
the throbbing heart. One touch and
his life would be gone. Yet no report
broke upon the air. There stood the
horse, keenly alive to'his danger-nay.
even challenging it; for the ears laid
themselves slOwl ~ back. the eyes began
to shine. Slowly as it had risen. the
weapon dropped. while its owners
voice broke the silence.
"No use. lobe; can't kill him.
At the white mans voice the White
Head moved away, without taking his
eyes from the men. He never looked
to his steps. yet they found their way
unerringly among the stones and drift
OF the creek bottom, till the frontage of
the cottonwood shut him from their
view. A single wild neigh came back
from him, and in answer something SO
like q "whoop" that the two hunters
gave Up all thought of pursuit. as they
moved off from the influence OF the
strange spell that had been cast around
them. Back in camp. the stock were
more carefully watched than before;
but the night wore away, and not an
incident occurred to disturb the travel.
ers, or even to suggest IN attack.
Next morning rose the sun upon
those sweeping meadows, and touched
the ileecy clouds with his glory as
they floated in the still air like hymns
of incense from the waking earth.
The stream whirled along its narrow
banks, and fingered among the rushy
shadows, Wild ducks checked their
skimming fight and settled on ito
bosom, disturbing the grotesque Bit
tern in its silent moods. Away off to
the west coyote lingered-nocturnal
traveller, leaving the coming day far
behind, to hide his body in the deep
cleft Of some lone canyon. The men
were just drawing the pickets Of the
horses, to harness them and take the
road, when all at once, whooping
scream rang from the gulch near BY.
and showed throng of Indians. with
the White Head before them. racing
madly toward the train. That one
moment, just before harnessing. had
been closely watched, for the men. not
having had . night attack, were off
their guard at the fatal instant, and
the Cheyennes, screaming like de-
mons, were in their midst, with an
arrow-flight preceding them. Stung
by the missiles, and maddened by the
shouts, horses and mules broke away.
and with trailing ropes dashed over
the prairie in headlong gallop. A
few men pursued them. These were
they, who, having been saddlcd and
ready before the first rush, had control
of their animals, and now swept of
after the stampede, in hopes Of being
able to check it.
The Indians were about three hun
dred yards ahead, straining every
nerve to distance their pursuers, the
stampeded stock in advance, racing.
they knew not whittier, and at their
heels the White Head, more like devil
than horse, kicking the well-known
rafting hide behind him. which re.
sounded like the war-drum Of some
savage tribe. Dashing from right to
left, as the terrified animals swerved
from the track he would whirl on his
launches, rush with terrific springs at
some animal separated from the rest,
and drive it back to the herd. The
pursuing hunters had gained since the
start, and could see each movement Of
the wild animal. He had the entire
drove under control, and was driving
them with unerring instinct to par
ticular part of the broken plain, from
whence he expected help from his red
masters. Such was the plan, no
doubt, and the relay of savages had
been already at their post; but the APP
proach of scouting party Of whites
forced them to abandon it.
So it happened that the white men
occupied the Indians ground and were
waiting there. The leading Indian
raised loud yell, and, abandoning the
drove, turned and fled in the direction
of his retreating brethren. Not so the
horse. True to his trust, he tried TO
turn the drove upon the new trail.
Racing like an arrow close to their
TANKS, striking and biting as he came,
he wheeled, and then drove them for
ward like frightened sheep, with his
screaming neigh ringing in their ears.
Lashing out like fury at the trailing
rawhide, he reared and plunged among
them, till the whole herd, with ono &C.
cord, turned and fled in the new direc.
ton after the retreating Indians, while
both parties of whites joined in the
pursuit, though the White Head, even
with this awful odds, seemed more than
a match for them all
But one way remained to check their
flight; that was to disable the fiend
which drove them. But howe Clearly
not with lasso all shrunk from
using that. The rifle was left. The
hunter Bill spurred ahead to cut of the
drove where they had to turn along side
a rock wall that rose from the plain.
The wild horse seemed to feel the dan.
ger, for he redoub!ed his efforts, and
flew from point to point like lightning.
But the hunter gained the desired
place, where the White Head would
have to pass him, and, dismounting,
waited with cooked rifle the moment to
fire.
On came the herd, with the wild
hGrse close behind them. He seemed
to take in the danger at glance; for,
as if disdaining to be tamely shot at,
or trying to escape, he turned to fight
lowering the white head, and extend
ing his 1.-the body in headlong gal.
lop; with wild scream he rushed
straight at the hunter The man had
intended creasing only, but the fearful
danger left no alternative but to kill
him. His rifle must not fail him now