Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-26
Gales aud Skftthfs.
THE RIDE FOR LIFE.
CONTINUED from Yesterday

air came over the flower bespangled plaln.
Cub tossed his head and shifted the breeze.
We felt the tempering influence of the
timber, as its long, dark line came slowly
into view against the distant sky. 1t
showed clearly and gave new life to the
noble brute. He increased his speed. and
seemed to be almost flying.
The Indians were nearly in the direct
rear now and noticing the new infusion OF
life brandshed their weapons and rode
like mad. Across the gap between US
now. not more than q mile, heard their
wild YELL Cub heard it too. His muscles
quivered as be leaped forward. No need
for use of spur or rein. He was doing
| his utmost. I patted his neck and softly
said, Good boy, good boy His eyes
| flashed with an intensity of anxiety and
eagerness tina; were unusual. The tim
Der was now plainly visible and if we
could reach it before getting in range of
| the red devils, felt sure they would new
err reach it. Once behind tree and nv
horse safe. could load and fire so fast
and with an aim so true that not more
than one Indian would get near enough
for hand to hand conflict. If it reached
that point the best fighter would win.
Five miles back had thrown away my
blanket to tighten my horses load, and
now I reached down, cut the girths.
slipped the saddle from under me, and
tossed it off among the flowers.
| We were probably not more than half a
mile from the timber when there was a
sudden shock. and / was thrown head
long over Cubs head. He had fallen.
Quickly recovering my feet, leaped to
/ his head, and tried to aid him in rising
| 1t was useless. He had struck in a hole
of some sort, and his leg was broken.
'Lie down. Cub"
/ He Strengthened out on his side.
dropped behind him. There was a
puff of smoke from the foremost Indians
rifle. and the ball sputtered in the grass
near me. There was puff of smoke
from my rifle, and the Indians horse went
riderless. There was wild cry of rage as
the next came on and four balls sped on
their death mission. One made this
white track across my wrist and was
buried in my shoulder, but l had loaded
and was sending ticket to usher another
brave into the happy hunting grounds:
He received it with my compliments and
plunged headlong from his horse. The
remaining three were at shotgun range
and yelling like fends. 1t was a race as
who should load first. They had the dis
advantage of being on horseback, but
were separating and circling in different
points. 1t seemed as if all our guns must
have been fired simultaneously. | heard
crash and felt singing shock. knew
that had fired. but in the sense OF con-
fusion and darkness that followed could
not tell the result.
The first sound that greeted my ears
was:
Il say, Hank, bowed eff faint Charlie
Hello, here, yer all right. They didn't
lift yer har this time, did theyp"
| staggered to my feet, and found my
self surrounded by three white men, if
the word can be properly used with so
small number. One was wiping the
blood from my face: another was examin-
ing my wrist; the third was feeling of me
generally.
AS soon as possibly could | blurted
out, "I'm all right. boys. Who the devil
are you? can't see anything for this
damned blood ~
"Why, it's Hank Pryor. Nugget Bill
and Long Tom. We happened to be in
the timber'n saw We comm, and we KEN
out to meet We. Cad, twas a regular cir
Gus, want it?'
Are they all cleaned ou,?" said I.
81 reckon they be. but they came burned
near cleanin Won OUT
TIE rude services of the trontiersman
surgeon soon stanched the blood. The
wound in the wrist was tritljng. 1t was
on the inside, and had laid bare the arte-
ry aud tendons, but while it bled freely a
strip from Hanks shirt was all the band
age it needed.
The ball in the shoulder caused no
trouble but a little soreness, and as it did
not bleed much we paid no further atten-
ten to it.
The last ball fired had plowed a furrow
across the scalp. and it was this that had
knocked me over: but while the skin was
pretty we'll ripped up, the mating of the
hair soon caused cessation of blood flow.
and all | needed was IA strip of shirt
around the forehead. This was quickly
forthcoming, and we were ready to take
account of stock.
My friends appearing SO Unexpectedly
on the scene of combat were hunters.
Their horses were in the timber, for hav-
ing seen the race while yet in the distance
they had come out on foot as less liable to
observation or being mistaken by me for
reds. 1t was their intention to let me
pass while they intercepted the Indians,
but Cubs fall had intertered with that.
Poor Cub. He was struggling to get
up. bent down over him, knelt down
beside him and patted his neck. Yes,
there is no harm in saying it, put my
arms around his neck and kissed him.
felt tear roll down my cheek and then
felt faint. Pryor raised nae up and said:
Here Tom, trot off'n ketch horse and
take Charley to camp, n I'll take care o
things here"
felt very weak for the moment but [
suppose it was the thought that Cub had
got to go. tried to brace up, but it was
no use, and everything became dark
again.
was reused by a rifle shot. There was
danger. and was on my feet in a mo-
ment. There was a second shot. 1t was
given by Long Tom. and he fired appar-
emily at the grass. One of the Indians
who had fallen was not killed. but while
we were wasting time instead of picking
up the horses and attending to our safety.
this one had crawled away and had nearly
reached the horses. which were compla-
Gently eating grass abouthalfa mile away
Long Tom was bent on horsefesh too
when the willy Indian had fred on him.