The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-08-02

! long, violent struggle, which he renewed
at intervals during that and several sue
ceeding days. Finding that he could
not unseat his plucky rider, he at length
gave up trying, and settled into his
natural gait, long, easy lope. His pace
was wonderfully swift and strong, and
Pete's prediction of what Birthstone could
do under a saddle was verified.
Thereafter Frank rode the yellow male
regularly, and, in time, they got on terms
of mutual federation. To be sure, Frank
had still to keep lookout whenever
within reach of his steed's teeth and heels,
and Birthstone made it a matter of princi-
pie always to buck awhile when first
mounted for the day.
But he recognized an equally constant
tendency of his master to spare at these
times neither whip nor spur, with the
variation of hickory club. Putting all
facts together, and not being in the least
a STOOL mule, " he began to regulate his
conduct so as to secure the fewest of
these attentions. Under wise handling
and fiEm control, the animal on the whole
improved in docility.
1t was through this chain of events that
Birthstone came to be feeding by this
little party Of three who loitered at mid
day under the blue sky. The saddles
and brides lay where they had been
thrown down. The young men were
stretched on the curly grass enjoying rest
after long riding. The animals grazed
contentedly at the end of their lariats
There was no sign of danger on the
broad plain. Nevertheless, it were well
for the party to have borne in mind that
the swells of the rolling prairie and deep
ravines might conceal the inconveniently
near approach of an enemy. The train,
now full mile distant, was all the time
drawing away from them.
One of the reclining men looked round,
jumped and yelled ''Injunsln The others
came on to their feet at once. They
caught up the saddles and brides, made
for their animals, and began saddling
them in haste.
There were sound reasons for doing
this, for less than mile away band of
A-apahoe Indians was coming for the
party at full speed, every man urging
his pony and holding his bow in readi-
ness for use, evidently with the worst in
tentions.
The saddles and brides were quickly
adjusted, and the men astride their steeds.
The horses, filed with instructive terror
at the sight and scent of the Indians,
leaped at the touch of their riders, and
were soon galloping after the train at
pace rivaling that of the Arapahoes.
Not so the mule. He felt well after
rest and feeding, and was in a mood for
a tussle with his rider. Perhaps he
thought he had been good over-long, and
wanted change At all events, as his
rider headed him toward the receding
train, he only braced back with his fore
legs, lowered his head at a similar angle,
and stood stock-still, with an i'm
that gave little hope of an
early start.
Frank shouted and spurred; the mule
only set back the harder. He pricked
him with his hunting knife, and he be-
gan to buck When Birthstone set out
to buck, time was no object to him. So
his rider did not urge the point. The
was interesting and very critical.
There were the Indians coming on like
the wind and already beginning to widen
their line fan-shaped, to cut off the hap
less rider. His two companions were a
third of the way to the train and safety,
and, barring untoward accident, sure to
make it. And lie, held to the spot by
baking mule whose inaptitude to change
It's mind he knew by hard experience.
&c had no time to apply his usual argu-
nents.
The Indians were so near that he could
zee .lae paint on their faces and hear their
Fells. The wind brought down to him
heir Characteristic odor Birthstone
imelled and did not at all like them; he
even showed a symptom or two of NOV
ng. Then, as if in scorn of his moment
Try vacillation, he set his feet more firmly
han before and stood like a rock.
Frank thought that all was up with
hin and made a desperate resolve. He
iad six shots in his revolver. He would
indulge, before the end, ia the brief but
intense pleasure of putting a bullet
through Brimstone's head. He would
oestow four on the Indians and then
ihoot himself to escape falling alive into
heir hands.
Arrows began to fly. One sang past
us head so close that he felt its wind.
Another passed directly in front of Brim-
tones eyes, but that consistent creature
,nly blinked and held his ground. As
frank was about to slip off and carry his
lesign into effect a third arrow whistled |
md struck something just behind his
addle with ar unmistakable ''sput"
Evidence of grievous pain and astonish-
nent appeared forthwith in the mule.
lis backward-laid ears came suddenly |
Onward as for moment his head faced |
ound with an expression of deep and !
eproachful surprise His body bumped |
ogether until it seemed as if the saddle |
It the apex must 90 over the neck or
.rupper. Then he headed toward the
Strengthened out and went.
And how he went! His first jump was 4
o sudden as nearly to leave his rider be-
lind on the prairie His next was longer
nd his pace kept improving all the way. |
line Of dust explosions marked the spot |
where his hind feet struck. As his body |
in long bounds the saddle /
inch fairly swept the grass, and all |
frank could do was to hold on, save his
'reath and try to keep his toes from
triking the prairie-dog mounds.
His two companions when halfway to
he train suddenly became aware that
frank was not with them. Without
topping they looked back. They after
ward told him that they saw something
oming, on the dead jump, behind them
t went so fast that they couldn't well
make out whether it was mule or a
'anther that was making such surprising
peed, but could only see that it was
aiming Roadway at every leap. It over
auled them in no time, passed them as a
elbow streak and directly they saw,
thousand yards ahead, commotion
mong the wagons.
In their narration something is to be
flowed for the exaggerated form of ex-