Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-11-21

now close at hand, and he had faint
hope that he might elude them in the
darkness and the woods.
Ha! What is that opening ahead in
the woods? A clearing. 1t would
never do to pass that, for in SO doing
he would have fresh pursuers on his
trail. He thought rapidly. He did
not like to take to the woods, for fear
of losing his wav, but sooner or later
he must do 80.
AS he gained the rise of slight knoll
in close proximity to the clearing. he
glanced back over his shoulder,
Through the fast gathering darkness he
deserted several horsemen, squirting
rapidly forward; the loud report of
several guns echoed through the woods
and the man, spasmodically catching
at some bushes at the roadside, dropped
to the ground. The next instant, how
ever, he regained his footing and disap-
peared in the forest.
My God! am wounded!" he cried,
clapping his hand to his thigh, from
which the blood was running freely.
"What will do now? / can elude
them tonight. but what of tomorrow {?
the next tree!"
He kept running forward deep
er into the woods as fast as
his wounded limb would permit.
The pnrsuers dashed into the woods
after him; but the night was fairly
down in the woods, and they soon lost
all trace of the fugitive. Wearied out
and completely at loss, they concluded
to go to the settlers house in the clear
ing and wait till morning, when they
would renew the pursuit.
When all signs of pursuit had died
out, the wounded man cautiously
worked his way through the woods to
the edge of the clearing. Here he
paused to reconnoiter the premises.
When satisfied that all the inmates of
the settlers cabin were abed, he stole
up to the log stable, and, leading out the
only horse it contained, mounted him
without saddle or bride; walking care
fully until at safe distance, he then
struck into q reckless galiop and rode
all night, entering the town of his
destination just about daylight. I'm
mediately proceeding to his home, he
put up the horse he had ridden SO reck-
lessly, and then, going to the house, he
changed his coat and hat, hiding these
nearly fatal clothes in secure place in
the cellar.
He examined his wound, which he
found was not SO bad rs he had feared.
Being q flesh wound it was not so pain
fnl but that he could walk very we'll
and without limping perceptibiy.
He now proceeded to his business
partner, and confided to him his pre-
dicament; and after some discussion
they both came to the conclusion that
they had best send the horse back to
its owner, with $40 as pay for the in
voluntary theft.
The man that took the horse back
was instructed not to tell anything
about how it came about.
The real burglar in this case
was afterward captured and duly pun
ished. The man that came so near los
ing his life by the similarity of his dress
to that Of the burglar, thought seriously
upon this eoipcidence, and was inclined
to condemn ,circumstantial evidence in
any case; for, had he been captured
| that night. the similarity of dress and
of size would have probably hanged
him in less than twenty-four hours.
He was constitutionally brave man,
but he never spoke of his run for life
/ and narrow escape from murder without
a shudder and fervent feeling Of
thankfulness to God for his miraculous
| preservation from death.