Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-19

stumbled. Twice had she thrown up her
Roman nose in straight line with the reins,
and, resisting bit and spur, struck out nadly
across country. Twice had she reared, and,
rearing, fallen backward; and twice had the
agile Dick, unharmed, regained his seat before
she found her vicious legs again. And mile
beyond them, at the foot Of a long hill, was
Rattlesnake creek. Dick knew that here was
the crucial test of his ability to perform his
enterprise, set his teeth grimly, put his knees
well into her TANKS, and changed his de-
fensiye tactics to brisk aggression Bullied
and maddened, Jovita began the descent OF
the hill Here the artful Richard pretended
to hold her in with ostentatious objurgation
and well-feigned cries of alarm 1t is IN
necessary to add that Jovita instantly ran
away, nor need state the time made in the
descent; it is written. in the chronicles
of Simpsons Bar. Enough that in
another moment, as it seemed to Dick,
she was splashing on the overAowed banks
Of Rattlesnake creek. As Dick expected, the
momentum she had acquired carried her be-
yond the point Of baking, and, holding her
well together for a mighty leap, they dashed
into the middle of the swiftly flowing cur
rent. A few moments Of kicking, wading,
and swimming, and Dick drew long breath
on the opposite bank.
The road from RattleSnake creek to Red
mountain was tolerably level Either the
plunge in Rattlesnake creek had dampened
her baleful fire, or the art which led to it had
shown her the superior wickedness Of her
rider, for Jovita no longer wasted her sur
plus energy in wanton conceits. Once she
bucked, but it was from force Of habit; once
she SHE'D, but it was from a new, freshly
painted meeting house at the crossing Of the
country road. Hollows, bitches, gravely
deposits, patches of freshly springing grasses,
few from beneath her rattling hoofs. She
began to smell unpleaSantly, once or twice
she coughed slightly, but there was no abate-
ment of her strength or speed. By O'Clock
he had passed Red mountain and begun the
descent to the plain Ten minutes later the
driver Of the fast Pioneer coach was overtak-
en- and passed by "man on Pinto hoSs"-an
event sufficiently notable for remark. AT
$50 Dick rose in his stirrups with great
shout. Stars were glittering through the
rifted clouds, and beyond him, out OF the
plain, rose two spires, a Flagstaff and strag-
Cling line of black objects. Dick jingled his
spurs and swung his RATA, Jovita bounded
forward, and in another moment they swept
into Tuttleville and drew up before the
wooden piazza of the Hotel of All Ma
ions.
What transpired that night at Tuttleville
Is not strictly part OF this record. Briefly
may state, however, that after Jovita had
been handed over to sleepy hostler, whom
she at once kicked into unpleasant uncon-
sciousness, Dick sailed out with the bar
keeper for tour of the sleeping town. Lights
still cleaned from few saloons and gam
bling houses; but avoiding these, they stopped
before several closed shops, and by per
sstent tapping and judicious outcry reused
the proprietors from their beds, and made
them unbar the doors Of their magazines and
Expose their wares Sometimes they were
met by curses, but oftener by interest and
some concern in their needs, and the inter
view was invariably concluded by drink.
1t was o'clock before this pleasantly was
given over, and with small waterproof bag
Of india rubber strapped on his shoulders
Dick returned to the hotel. But here ho
was waylaid by Beauty-Beauty opulent in
charms, affluent in dress, persuasive in speech,
and Spanish in accent! In vain she repeated
the invitation in Excelsior" happily scorned
by all Alpine climbing youth, and rejected
by this child of the Sierras-a rejection
softened in this instance by a laugh and his
last gold coin. And then he sprang to the
saddle and dashed down the lonely street and
out into the lonelier plain, where presently
tho lights, the black line OF houses, tho spires
and the flagstaff sank into the earth behind
him again and were lost in the distance.
The storm had cleared away, the air was
brisk and cold, the outlines Of adjacent land
marks were distinct, but it was 4:3O before
Dick reached the meeting house and the cross
ing OF the country road. To avoid the rising
grade he had taken a longer and more cir
cuitous road, in whose viscid mud Jovita
sank fetlock deep at every bound. 1t was q
poor preparation for steady ascent of five
miles more; but Joyita, gathering her legs
under her, took it with her usual blind, I'M
reasoning fury, and half hour later reached
the long level that led to Rattlesnake creek
Another half hour would bring him to the
creek. He threw the reins lightly upon the
neck Of the mare, chirruped to her, and be-
gan to sing.
Suddenly Jovita SHE'D with bound that
would have unseated a less practiced rider.
Hanging to her rein was figure that had
leaped from the bank, and at the same time
from the road before her arose a shadowy
horse and rider. Throw up your hands,"
commanded the second apparition with an
oath.
Dick felt the mare tremble, culver and
apparently sink under him. He knew what
it meant and was prepared
"Stand aside, Jack Simpson, know you,
you id thief. Let me pass or
He did not finish the sentence. Jovita rose
straight in the air with terrific bound,
throwing the figure from her bit with a
single shake Of her vicious head and charged
with deadly malevolence down on the inn
pediment before her An oath, pistol shot,
horse and highwayman rolled over in tho
road, and the next moment Jovita was a
hundred yards away But the good right
arm of her rider, shattered by bullet,
dropped helpleSSly at his side.
Without Stacking his speed he shifted the
reins TO his left hand. But a few moments
later he was obliged to halt and tighten the
saddle girths that had slipped in the onset.
This, in his crippled condition, took some
time He had no fear of pursuit, but look
ing up he saw that the eastern stars were al
ready paling, and that the distant peaks had
lost their ghostly whitenssS, and now stood
out blackly against lighter sky. Day was
upon him. Then completely absorbed in a
single idea, he forgot the pain OF his wound,
opj ,,Opptipo AGAIN dashed ON towop1 Pat