Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-09

pieces, put my SdQQl6 ana DriGle on the
new horse, and then mounted.
Perhaps said the fellow, as he gave
the sick horse another punch in the gull
let, ''if l should see you in Booneton one
o these days ye might want to change
back?''
l told him we'd see about that, and
then, bidding him good morning, l rode
of.
had certainly got good horse. He
stepped as lightly and gracefully as a
dancing master and bore me as easily as
though had been in carriage. In a
! little while touched him with g 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 wuod reached the edge of the
road, and without apparent cause the horse
started into a gallop.
/ spoke to him and tried to hold him
in, but he only went the faster. In a few
minutes he wheeled out of the road and
struck into the wood, ard now he ran
for dear life.
yelled with all my might and tugged
at the relns till my arms ached, but
could never turn his head nor slacken his
speed.
He flew on like the wind, selecting the
course where the trees were fathest apart
| flew on, sweeping now to the right and
now to the left, just the passage
| through the forest seemed most favor
! able.
AS soon as l fond the horse was not to
be stopped l turned my thoughts to an
| other direction, and very quickly it flash
| ed upon me that the flying beast had
| been trained to just this kind of work
Like horses | have read of in Arabia, he
would take his course for his masters
| habitation, let it be where it would. The
man with whom had traded was one of
a gang, and there must have been anoth-
er at the stable of the inn at Clayville
who had given my horse someth ng to
make him sick.
| These thoughts passed through my
head with lightning rapidity, but they
were Systematically arranged as they cam
and I knew that had been trapped, and
chat the animal was bearing me to the
haunts of the robbers. For moment
there was a desire to keep on and meet
the rascals. but that would only be mad
ness. l must get off the saddle some
how. Ha! the opportunity presented it
| self. Ahead l saw stream of water. /
withdrew my feet from the stirrups and
more leap and the horses feet touched
the pebbly shore. With sudden spring
[ lifted myself clear of the saddle, and as
the beast flew from beneath me dropped
| into the brook without hurt of 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 for his rid er,
and for a moment / was tempted to fire
pistol ball at him. However, [ did not
waste my powder, and in little while
the animal turned and trotted off and
was soon out of sight.
Now, what should I do? OF course [
must get out of the wood and to d. that
safely must go back by the way I had
come. l looked to nay pistols and start
ed. The sun gave me my direction, so |
could make no mistake. By-and-by I
heard the measured tread of a horse
ahead, and as quickly as possible found
shelter, behind a huge tree. The
horse came along within a hundred yards
of me.
The horseman was my honest country
man who feared l might be robber, and
the horse the one I had owned an hour
before. The animal still foamed at the
mouth, but cantered along without APP
parent trouble. So the "poison" had not
been so very deadly; and, moreover, the
punching in the gullet had not been with
out its effect. Surely the plan had been
cute one, and the game had been adroIt-
ly played-only had CHANGED to gain
one effective play before 1t could be fin
ished.
remained behind the tree until the
horseman disappeared, and then moved
on again. Had been nearer the rascal |
might have intercepted him, but as it was
the thing could not we'll be done. I hur-
ried forward with all possible speed, and
ia little while after / reached the high
way had the food fortune to be overtaken
| by man in wagon.
| | reached BoonetOn by the middle Of
the forenoon. where found two shrewd
/ Intelligent officers, to whom [ commnni-
Gated my secret, and together we laid a
! plan for finding the robbers. The fol-
! lowing day we disguised ourselves and
| proceeded TO that point in road in the
wood, and we had the good fortune to
meet my honest looking horse trader as
| tride of the very animal that had carried
me to the brook. He did not recognize
me and readily stopped when my com
panions halted him; and, as may be sup
poeed, we captured him without much
| trouble.
| The fellow gave his name as Mark
Sakett and vowed that he knew nothing
of any robbers or anything of that kind,
and touching the affair of the horse, he
| declared that was something he could not
| explain. He said he saw me when / was
carried into the woods, and. as the horse
| left him began to revive, he had mount
ed and followed me. Beyond this we
could get nothing out of him.
1t was only now an hour past noon, and
in less than an hour we had twenty men,
well mounted and we'll armed, ready 30
| follow US. The black horse was led out,
saddled and bridled, and | took my seat
upon bis back, and he behaved we'll as he
started off. In fact, he seemed to like
the company of the other horses, and to
be proud of leading them. When we
reached the wood gave him the rein, and
he turned off just where he had turned
I L l.