The Delta independent., 1889-05-14
EXPLAINED BY DEATH
BIZ CLYDE 5. CHASE.
a True story of the Frotior.

.-- BIZ CLYDE 8. CHASE.
ssOh heavens! am lost"
The words came from tho lir's Of q
young and beautiful girl, sente upon
the back of a clean-limbed :mustang
pony, far out upon trackless prairie.
It was nearly midday, but thick fog
had settled down upon the plain, en-
veloping the landscape in gray,
treacherous gloom.
Clear and mild the morning sun had
risen, and fdabel. the fearless daughter
If Basil Garland, one OF the settlers OF
New Ulm, Minnesota, had mounted
her pony and ridden forth for o romp
in the fresh morning air as she was ac-
customed to do; but when she was
about to. turn her horses head home-
ward, the damp gray fog had, with
scarcely n moments warming, settled
down aro und her, completely shutting
from view all objects over twenty
yards distant
Well did the brave pioneer girl re-
alize tho danger of being abroad In
one of those terrible prairie fogs with
no landmark whatever to guide her;
but hoping t> strike some small tribu-
tary of the Nj innesota river that would
lead her holneward, she had ridden
many miles through tho death-like
gloom without accomplishing her OBJ
ject, and with feeling akin TO des-
pair the mai den finally drew rein upon
the summit ,,f rise in the prairie,
and gave utte. ..ance to the words that
open this sket, III.
Her pony stai uped uneasily and gazed
keeuly around as If to penetrate, with
his big brown eyes, the surrounding
gloom.
Long the girl S; 1t motionless in the
saddle, but Mt length. as the long-drawn
howl of a wolf gr eeted her ears from
afar back on her trail, she started with
shudder of horror, and giving her
pony smart cut with, her riding whip,
dashed away overthe prairie, her mus
tang choosing its own course. and u
new fear entered the breast Of its
rider, while back upon their trail were
congregating number of gaunt, shad-
owy forms, ever and anou giving utter
anccs to the mournful. q uavering howl
Of the prairie wolf--a SOU I'd by no means
pleasant to the eur of even the most
hardened frontiersman-
The intelligent pony seemed to fully
understand the danger that threatened
both himself and his fiir rider, for no.
bly, did he cast the miles behind him,
while on, in swift purnit. came that
horde of grim and shaggy forms. their
number rapidly increasing as they ad-
vanced.
But suddenly the maiden uttered a
cry of joy and reined her pony back up
on its launches as she ba..ely missed
colliding with a horseman who had
heard the hoof strokes of herr pony and
had halted to await hor approach.
The horseman was q young man OF
striking appearance, clad in n garb of
fringed and beaded buckskin. while
black slouch hat crowned HIS s'mass OF
raven-black hair, that fell below his
broad, set shoulders. His features
were not wholly handsome, but were
full Of courage and resolution. His
eyes were dark and keen in express
sion, and a dropping, dark-brow wn mus
tache shaded. but failed to hide, the
frm, resolute mouth. He was armed
with Winchester repeating rifle. o
pair OF Colts navy revolvers, and
long bladed knife.
Saints aliveT burst from the horse
mans lips. "A young girl, in this re-
qion. alone and unarmed?"
.sOh. sir, I'm lost in this awful fog
and am pursued by wolves-" cried the
girl "Can you not save me from
them, for see you have q repeating
rifeP"
"I can and will. fair girl" responded
the man, swinging his rifle around
ready for use. .'Give yourself no more
uneasiness about those bowling scaven-
gers, for l can soon settle with them.
You can count on Ralph Mordaunt,
every time"
"Words cannot express my gratitude
20 you, Ralph Mordaunt," cried the
maiden, earnestly. MY name is
Mabel Garland, and lam the daughter
of Basil Garland, of New Ulm. You
are stranger here, are you not?"
"Yes, Miss, and am on my way
from Big Sioux Valley to fort Ridgely.
and I will guide you to your home, as
am travelling by compass to strike the
Minnesota river few miles above New
Ulm settlement"
THANK heaven that / CHANGED to
meet you," fervently said the girl.
"But oh! sir, there comes those terrible
wolves" she added in a half frightened
tone.
The answer of the young ranger was
to raise his rifle to his shoulder and
fire rapidly into the ranks of the pur-
suing wolves that were now but few
rods distant. Every shot counted; and
leaving half of their number dead upon
the earth, the remaining wolves scat
tered in terror from before that death
dealing weapon.
That fixes their flint" said the
stranger. as he cody reloaded his rifle.
"And now, Miss Mable, let us be NOV
e.. .x,,os, rorro,t1u 10 ronr