Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-03-01

He is one of our best riders and most
enthusiastic sportsmen. He will be out,
will he not, Stryker?''
eyes, sir. There is really no neces-
sity for his staying in, and so told him.
but he felt that he ought to, at least
until certain work was finished. Then
he said he could ride eastward and join
us. HurrahI there they goP'
Far out to the front, straight to the
east, "a gray streak with a white tip to
it" went shooting into space as though
launched from some invisible bow drawn
by giant power. A big Jack rabbit, all
legs and ears, had listened quivering and
trembling to the sounds of the approach
ing hunt, until an enterprising terrier,
foremost skirmisher of the line, fairly
tumbled over him as he crouched behind
a little bunch of weeds: then with one
mighty leap and the accompaniment OF
a wild yelp from his discoverer he sprang
forth into race for his precious life.
"Hoyl hoyl" yells the sergeant as he
sights the quarry. "HurrahP shout the
nearest huntsmen, and, with one stimuli
taneous impulse, skirmishing ours,
stealthy, springing hounds, eager steeds,
and iubilant riders-men and women
away goes the entire field sweeping in
pursuit. At first all is one mad rush
until it is certain that the rabbit is
veteran who understands well the maxim
that "a stern chase is a long chase" all
the world over.
Close behind the master of the hounds,
ell eyes fixed on that bounding tuft Of
gray and white few score yards ahead,
bending over their horses necks and
keeping just enough pressure on the bit
to prevent overriding the huntsman, ride
Parke and Graham, two eight weights"
who have coursed many mile of prairie.
Just behind them, little to their right,
rides Mrs. Belknap, her veil huttering
straight out behind, her glorious eyes
flashing, her dark skin flushed with tri-
umph and the exhilaration of the dash
ing pace, her little hands wound about in
the reins she holds SO firmly. Splendidly
she sits her fleet racer, and Dana has to
urge and spur his clumsier troop horse
to keep in close attendance. These four
are well in advance of all the others.
Back of them, CALAMITY urging on her
sturdy sorrel, comes Mrs. Sprague, with
Stryker riding warily alongside and
watching her "going" before he will sat-
isfy himself that it is safe to trust her to
her own guiding Level as the prairie
is here, he knows that mile or so ahead
there are "breaks" leading down into
the valley of one of the innumerable
tributaries of the Washita. Then the
story may be different.
He looks up in surprise at the thunder
of hoofs close alongside, and Mrs. Law
renee, with excitement in her eyes, over
takes, then passes them on the way to
the front. "Seel" he points to his part
ner, "see that dark shadow across the
prairie out there. We cannot ride at this
pace when we pass that hollow; the
breaks set in still farther" He glances
over his shoulder and signals to the near
est officer to follow Mrs. Lawrence and
look out for her, and the gallant does his
best, but all are at top speed; the colonel
and the heavy Efights-infantry and
cavalry-are begis 1g to lass ground
a2&&, still that gray okipIff BALI" far to the
front seems inch by inch to be slipping
away from his pursuers. Will he keep
his determined course, up hill and down,
straight away to the east, or will he lose
heart, tack, veer, double and twist? If
he swerve he is lost rabbit
Far to the rear, yelping, painting, dis
tracted by this time, the terriers and
mongreIs, the original leaders, have fall
en-. The field, too, is strung out nearly
a mile deep at the end of the first six
minutes run, for some of the laggards
have given up and are disposed to wait
for the coming of the buggies and buck
boards. Here at the front all is tense
excitement, All eyes are on the rabbit
for now or never will the crisis come
The horses are breathing heavily, but
with no thought of slackening speed
"Watch him now as he sights that
arroyop' shouts Graham to Parke, for
far out to the right front a ravine bursts
off to the southeast, and one Of its shall
low contributors stretches obliquely
across the rabbits frenzied vision.
''Veer that way; he'll take it surel"
shouts the huntsman; and, sure enough,
no sooner does he reach it than the gray
victim darts down the winding shelter,
as though hopeful that his sudden twist
would throw his pursuers off the sight;
scent the greyhound has none, The
move is disastrous; Hit" shout the lead
ing riders. waving the pursuit to the
right front, and, obedient to signal, the
foremost hounds sweep in long curve
into the coulee, striking it many yard
farther down than where the harried
chase first diyed into its treacherous
shadows.
And now those hounds who were out
on the right flank are up in line with the
very leaders, and bounding along the
level at the side of the ravine, yet keep
ing wary eye upon the chase. So, too
the horsemen. Making a deep curve in
the ravine five hundred yards ahead, and
confident that Bunny will blindly rush
along his winding track, they strike out
across the prairie, gaining twenty horse
lengths by the move; and now, with two
or three of the oldest hounds, Parke
Dana and Mrs. Belknap are darting On
abreast of the chase. Keep out there
to the left, some Of you'll" shouts Dana,
Hell spring up the other side quick as
be sees U.s. Drive him back" And
obedient to the signal of his waving
hand, two of the leading troopers breast
the slopes to the east. calling half dozer
hounds with them. Darling around 6
bend, Bunny's agonized eyes catch sigh
of the hounds and horses on the right
bank, and like flash he whirls, scamp