Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-10-25

nOitre the plains near lhehl.
Finally, having travel ed in near
ly all directions, they resolved to
water their horses IN the klowa
creek, close hand, and so turned
the animals heads thlther. i
heavy cottonwood timber grew
close down TO the water, mi ding
It's foliage With that Of the ~ld
plum and "boxelder.'
\ little saudbar ran out into the
stream aud upon its wet surface
Bill noticed the fresh hoofmarks
OF horse. They were remarkably
small "a Il round, seemingly pos
sessed OF "A character OF their o"n
that showed that their oHuer must
have stepped Ike deer. Both
men were 40 buSily enaged noting
the strange trail, they never once
tbOuE Int oI looking upward; so when
one Of their horses hrew mp his
head and sent forih shrill nelgh,
each man looked instantly, and
there right before their eyes, was a
sight that made them speechless
with wonder.
On the opposite bank, not 90
yards away, stood the maker OF
the foot printS-White Head
The sunlight came playing
through the trees, and burned on
his sorrel coat like molten gold.-
The graceful body round and
smooth, expanded where the haun.
ches and sloping shoulders set in
/ to 1t in welded masses of binding
muscle, that stretched to the deer
like limbs with their clean knees
and hooks, each, leg strung like
harp with chords Of steel to the
/ ivory bone. HIS flowing name and
tail. seemed alive with motion, as
if impatient tob waving backward
in the strong wind OF his racing
gallon. Though he stood like
bronze, with only the trumpet nos.
trils working to catch the air, The
small head, white even to the eyes,
turned over his shoulder to survey
the intruders who had disturbed
his watering place. Thus he stood
in his beauty peerless horse.
\ while they gazed and then
the hunters hand stole slowly to
his waist. The deadly revolver
came forth, rose to the level, and
motonless, covered the throbing
heart.
One touch and his life would be
gone. Yet no report broke upon
the air, There stood the horse,
keenly alive to his danger-nay,
even challenging it; for the ears
laid themselves slowly back, the
eyes began to shine.
Slowly as it had risen, the weap-
on dropped, while its owners voice
broke the silence:
"No use, TObe, / can't kill him.
At the white mans voice the
White Head moved away, without
taking his eyes from the men. lie
never looked to his steps, yet they
found their, way unerrngly among
the stones aud drift OF tho creek
bottom, till the frondage Of the
cottonwood shut him from their
view.
a single wild neigh cIme back
from him, and in answer something
80 like a "whoop' that the two
hunters gave up all thought of pur.
SUIT; as they moved OF from the
influence Of the strange spell that
had been cast around them.
Back in camp, the stock were
carefully watched than before but
the night wore away, and not m
incident occurred to disturb the
travellers, or even to suggest an at
tack.
Next morning rose the sun upon
those sweeping meadows, and
touched the lleecy clouds with his
glory as they flOated in the still
air like hymns Of incense from the
waking earth. The stream whirled
along it's narrow anks ald llnger-
ed among the rushy shadows
Wild ducks checked their sklmming
/ flight and settled on its bosom,
disturbing the grOteSque 0Itlern in
his silent moons. Away of to the
west coyote lingered--uocturnal
traveller, leaving the coming day
far, far behind, 10 hide his body IN
the deep cleft of some lone canon.
The men were just drawing the
plcketts Of the horses, to harness
them and take the road, when, all
at once, whooplug scream rang
from a gulch near by, and showed
throng Of Indians, with the White
Head before them, racing madly
toward the tram. That one mo-
ment, just before harnessing, had
been closely watched, for the men
not having had night attack,
were off their guard at the fatal
instant, and the Cheyennes, scram-
ing like demons, in their midst,
with an arrow-dlght preceding
/ them.
Stuug by the missiles ahd mad
dened by the shouts. horses and
, mules broke away, and with trail
ing ropes dashed over the palrle in
. a headlong gallop. A few men
; PURSUED them. These were they
who, having been saddled and