San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-07

black coat for some time lay, diminishing
blot on the brown Of the moors, stood for a
brief moment on the sky line, and vanished
must have lain above an hour in this alb
surd and painful position, wrestling with my
bonds, and specializing on my chances OF
passing the night by the beck side. My ankles
were tied with my own handkerchief, my
wrists with the thong of my own whip, and
this especially cut me. 1t was krotted inn
movably; but by rolling over and rubbing
my face into the turf, contrlved at length
to slip the gag down below my chin. This
done, sat up and shouted Justify
For long time there was no reply but the
whinnying of my mare, who seemed to guess
something was wrong, and pulled at her
tether until thought she would break away.
think | called a score of times before heard
an answering "Whoo-oopI" far back on the
road, and scarlet coat, then another, and
finally dozen or more, appeared on the crest
of the hill 1t was the hunt returning.
They saw me at once, and galloped up,
speechless from sheer amazement believe
my hands were loosened before word was
spoken. The situation was painfully ridicu-
lous; but my story was partly out before they
had time to laugh, and the rest of it was
gasped to the accompaniment of pounding
hoOtS ana cracking WHIPS.
Never did the Netherkirk hunt ride after
fox as it rode after the Rev. William league
that afternoon We streamed over the moor.
thin red wave. like rank of charging cav
airy, the whip even forgetting his tired
hound that struggled aimlessly in our wake.
On the hill above Biealirk we saw that the
tide was out, and oar company divided with
out drawing rcin some four horsemen de-
do hos lie
| out under Woetul Ness, and across the Dead
Boy, hoping to gain the ridge before the mad
| man and cut him Off The rest, whom / led
by few yards, breasted the height above
| and Numbered past the gray churchyard
wall Inside it caught flying glimpse of
the yellow pony quietly cropping among the
bombs We had our prey then Inclosed i'll
that peninsula as in trap; but there was one
outlet.
| remember looking down towards the vii
| lage as we tore along, and seeing the fisher
| folk run out at their doors and stand staring
at the two bodies of horsemen thus rushing
| to the sea. The riders ON the beach had a
slight lead of us at first; but this they quick
| ly lost as their horses began to be distressed
| in the heavy sand | looked back for an in
| slant The others were close at my heels;
| followed, yelping mournfully But neither
man nor hound could see him whom they
hunted, for the cliffs edge hid the quicllsand
in front
Presently the turf ceased Dismounting,
ran to the edge and plunged down the rocky
| face | had descended about twenty feet,
when came to the spot where, by craning
forward | could catch sight of the spit of
rock, and the Quick Boy Sand to the right
of it
The sun-a blazing ball of red-was Just
now resting its neither rim on the horizon,
| and its level rays fell full upon the man we
| were chasing. He stood on the very edge of
| the rocks, black spot against the luminous
| yellow Of sea and sand. He seemed to he
| rleditating. His back was towards us, and
| he perceived neither his pursuers above nor
| the heads that ut this moment appeared over
| the ridge behind him, and not fifteen yards
away. The party on the beach had dis
mounted and were clambering up stealthily.
| Five seconds more and they could spring
| upon him
| But they underestimate a madman's in
| StincJ. AS if fORnO reason, he gave quick
| start, turned aud at the same instant was
aware OF both attacking parties. A last CLEAN
Of sunlight fell on the snuff box in his left
| hand his right thumb and forefnger hung
arrested grasping the pinch. For fully half a
| minute nothing happened; hunters and hunted
| eyed each other and waited. Then carrying
the snuff to his nose, and doiiing his hat, with
| q satiTicu sweep Of the hand and low bow,
ne turned again anI trpped off the ledge into
the jaws Of the Quick Boy
| There was no help now At his third step
the sand had him by the ANKLES. For mo