Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-30

arrow from the fringe of willows and |
dashing straight in wake of the quarrys |
Thirty yards ahead of the foremost riders |
of the Rossiter party superb English
hunter, the bit in his teeth, his ewes afire |
and his head high in air, fresh, vigorous, |
raging with long imprisoned passion for |
the sport of the old island home, gaining |
on the hounds at every stride, and defy |
ing the utmost efforts of his rider, leaped |
from the covert of the timber into sight |
of one and all, bearing lovely but most |
reluctant victim on his back.
In vain with might and main she
leaned back and tugged at the reins:
though checked in his speed, the horse
still tore ahead, keeping straight for the
hounds, leaping in his easy stride every
little gully or "branch" that crossed his
path. Bunny took a sudden dive into
the timber, fairly flew across narrow,
gravelly rapid. and darted up on the OPP
posite bank: the hounds veered in pur-
suit, the huntsmen wavered and sought
along the bank for q better place to cross,
but the mettlesome English bay lunged
through in the very wake of the hounds,
crumbling the sandy banks and crashing
through the pebbly stream bed. Out on
the southern slopes went Bunny, close
followed by the hounds; out on their trail
went the big hunter. but his riders hat
has been brushed away in the wild dash
through the timber, and now fame of
beautiful golden hair-a great wave of
hght-tlies on the wind over his glossy
back, and, though she still leans over the
cantle Juggling hard at the reins, she is
plainly losing strength. Some of the
Rossiter party burst through the timber
in pursuit; some still ride hopefully up
the north bank. and these are rewarded,
for once again poor, badgered, bewil-
dered Bunny makes a sudden swerve,
and, throwing half the hounds far be-
hind, darts a second time to the shelter
of the banks, with the other half closer
at his heels than before.
Those who were watching see the big
hunter making a long. circular sweep,
then once again bring up in the wake Of
the leaders. once more go leaping. plung
ing, crashing through the stream, and,
in another minute, rabbit, hounds,
huntsmen, the field and the fair in
cOgnita are all strung out in chase along
the northern shore. and all eyes can sec
that she is an English girl and well nigh
exhausted. Still. no man can catch that
hunter and lay hands on the rein. She
is riding with the foremost now, leading
the troopers, even, and still Bunny spins
along in front, the hounds crashing not
six feet behind him. 4 little point of
bluff juts out Just ahead; the stream
winds round its base and takes a turn
northward for a dozen rods. Bunny
shoots the t;Iru ike the pilot of the
lightning express. the hounds strain to
make il without loss of vantage gained.
the biG hunter sways outward to the
very verge of the steep and crumbling
bank, and a Eroan goes up from the
breathleSs pursuers; but he rallies and
straightens once more in the track, and
the golden hair, streaming in advance,
is the orifiamme of the chase. Then as
they round the point Dana gives IA shout
Of Joy. Straight down the slopes,
straight and swift rs rode the daring
huZzaT from whom he got his name,
when he bore the fatal message like
arrow flight from the Sapoune crest al
Balaklava, down the bluffs to the right
front comes Nolan, with Ned Perry on
his hack-Perry. with set, resolute. vet
almost frenzied face-Perry with eyes
that flash blue fire in the intensity of
their gaze, and Nolan's vigorous strides
have brought him in circling sweep, in
Just ten seconds more, close to the hun
ter's quarter. close behind the fiuttering
skirt.
just ahead there is another sudden
turn 10 the left; the stream goes one
way, the bluffs another. and between
them lies aiive-acre patch of level prairie
thickly studded, here, there, every where,
with any earthen mounds and tiny, gap
ing, treacherous holes-a prairie dog
village, by all that's awful. and tina.
runaway hunter, mad in the chase of
the sweeping hounds, Is in the midst of
it before mortal hand can check or
swerve him. Another second, and they
who pursue have veered TO right or left
or refined up on the verge-all save one.
Never faltering, Ned Perry is at her
hunters quarter, almost at her side.
They see him squirting, they see him
bending eagerly towards her, they see
that he is shouting something TO her
Heaven knows what Then there is q
groan Of misery and dread from dozen
breasts, groan that as suddenly bursts
into the El-ddesf of cheers. the hunters
forefoot has caught in one of the thou
sand little death traps: down he goes,
plunging, heaving, quivering. rolling
over and over; but Nolan leaps gallantly
ahead, and Ned Perry's strong arm has
lifted the girl from the saddle as her
steed goes crashing TO earth, and bears
her. dropping, faint, frightened, well
nigh senseless, but safe and clasped
tight 10 his thankful and exul;ant heart.
Another instant, and Nolan is refined
in in the very midst of the tumbling
hounds, and Gladys Maitland is the only
woman in at the death"
fTo BE Continued