Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-07-03


not even thinking of what was saying!
she began, her white teeth set, her soft
lips livid with wrath; but she suddenly
controlled herself-none toe soon, for
Dana came trotting up.
Say, Perry, what do you make that
out to be down there in the valley? Col
Brainard and feel sure it's q lady on
horseback"
And. looking at Perry, Mrs. Belknap
saw that he had flushed to the very tenn
ples-that an eager, joyous light had
sprung to his eyes; but before she could
say a word there came shout from the
huntsman. yell from the leading line. a
Simultaneous yeip from the ours ana
mongrels emong the "irregulars," and
her horse leaped at the bit and went tear
ing off toward the Monee, foremost in
mad pursuit of wild careering lack"
Gomez she called, as she glanced
over her shoulder; but the sight was one
that only added to her wrath. Nolan,
plunging and snorting, was held to the
spot, while his rider, sitting like CEN
taur, was still eagerly gazing over into
the distant cottonwoods. The next in
slant she realized that all the field were
laundering at her heels, and the instinct
of the sportsman came to her aid. She
could not be beaten in the chase.
For half a mile Bunny shot like streak
of light straight away southwestward,
the hounds punched in siaty, sweeping
cloud not thirty yards behind the bobbing
tuft of his tail Then he began long
circle towards the stream, as though to
head for break" that extended some
rods back from the line of bluffs. Another
minute and he had reached its partial
shelter and darted in. For the next min
ute he was lost to sight of his human
pursuers, but presently flashed into view
again down in the creek bottom and
''streaking it" up along the northern
bank, with the whole pack at his heels.
The bluffs were steep just here, some of
the riders a trihe timid, and all the
"field" refined in a little as they made
the descent; Dana, Mrs. Belknap, Parke,
Mrs. Lawrence, Graham, the colonel and
Mrs. Sprague Strengthened out for their
pursuit in the order named, the instant
they reached the level of the valley. The
hounds were far ahead by this time, and
the two light troopers in charge OF them
close at their heels; but who-what was
the figure that flashed into view between
those huntsmen and the field, darting like
arrow from the fringe of willows and
dashing straight in wake of the quarry?
Thirty wards ahead of the foremost riders
of the Rossiter party superb English
hunter the bit in his teeth, his eyes 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, lcapin5 in his easy stride every
little gully or "branch" that crossed his
path Bunny took sudden dive into
the timber, fairly flew across n narrow,
gravelly rapid, and darted up on the OPP
! posite bank: the hounds veered in pur-
suit, the hunt5mcn wavered and sought
along the bank for a better place to cross,
! but the iuettInsome English bay lungrd
through in the very wake of the hounds,
crumbIin9 the sandy banks and crashing
through the pcbhy stream bed. Out ON
| the southern slopes went Bunny, close
/ followed bv the hounds; out on their trail
went the biz hunter, b.t his riders hat
| has beer brushed away IN the wild dash
| through the timber, ana now flame of
beautiful golden hair-a great wave Of
| li%ilt-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 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 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 "feld," and the fair in
cognita are all strung out in chase along
the northern shore, and all eyes can SEQ
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. A little point of
bluff juts out just ahead; the stream
winds round its base and takes turn
| northward for a dozen rods. Bunny
shoots the turn like the pilot of the
lightning express, the hounds strain to
make it without loss of vantage gained.
the big hunter sways outward to the
very verge of the steep and crumbl1ng
bank, and a groan 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 oriflamme of the chase. Then as
they round the point Dana gives shout
of Joy. Straight down the slopes,
straight and swift as rode the daring
huzzar from whom he got his name,
when he bore the fatal message like
arrow flight from the Sapoune crest at
Balaklava, down the bluffs to the right
front comes Nolan, with Ned Perry on
his blackberry, with set, resolute, yet
almost frenzied face-Perry with eyes
that fash blue fire in the intensity Of
| tboir o-o-a a1d Nolap's vioOrous strides