Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-30
CHAPTER x.-rHE PURSUIT.


Blaine clapped his spurs in and gal
Hoped down to his men.
"Mount, aud follow mei' he cried,
then spurrec on madly after the retreat
ing horse, If IL were Miss Rath he
would save her from the consequences OF
her rashness-If 1t were the Zulu he
would capture him. With these thoughts
firing his mind he gave no heed to his
men.
They, however, were not moved by
his lmpetuosity. The sergeant in COM
mand a grizZled old warrior, gave his
orders deliberately-''P Prepare to mount!
--Mount!'
The men sat in their saddles waiting
the next order.
"whers are we going, sergeantr'
asked a trooper.
tFoller the captain.
eyes, but where to?'
Gwen see. Walk! gallop!'
"It's all very we'll TO say gallop,'
grumbled one man, ''but how In thunder
are we TO Galiop. when its as dark as the
inside OF o backing pot.
In FIVE minutes two horses stumbled +,
an in ten the sergeant himself, disap-
peared with startled oath. The troop
halted, and one of them dismounted to
see what had happened. He found the
sergeant's horse at the brink of q donga,
but that worthy was not in evidence, ex-
ceptIng tor volley of muffied oeths
which rolled up from the bowels of the
earth. They found the old soldier fast
damned between the shelving walls Of
the donga and cut him out. When be
was once again in his saddle the sound of
hoofs, which was their only guide, had
died out.
Mary RRth was essentially womanly
woman, sweet and gentle, but vein Of
sterner stuff, like thread OF steel in
silkeu skein, ran through her nature.
She hardened now under Its influences,
and she rode away on her mission with
something Ike a fierce sense of citation.
She had blanched under the first volley
from the officers revolvers, and nearly
reeled from the saddle, then she steadied
herself again and faced tho line OF rifle
FIRE. Each lurid flash, each sharp rife
crack, each venomous ping of the BULLETS
had its effect on her nerves in an
electric thrill and spasm of agony. For
months after she could not hear a
report without experiencing a sud-
den shock; but at the moment
the recurring waves of terror had no
power TO weaken her resolve. Her body
might tremble, and her nerves vince,
but her eyes, in which glowed the strong
spirit within, were fixed steadily before
her. Her horse, accu stoned to the way,
swept on without guidance from her
band-hImself, by some strange power
of sympathy which dumb animals ex-
perience, imbusd with her spirit.
Away they flew, passing without hurt
beyond the range of chance bullets, and
Mary drew long breath, almost like Il
sob. her relief was short. Her quick
ears detected the rush of q horse in pur-
suit, and her mind became curiously d.
yided, now fixed intently on the object
before her, now auxiously concerned
with the pursusr behind her, obey
ing exactly the swift movement
of her aorse's ears, which would now
be turuaI and now pricked forward. At
ter time she detected slac6ening in
the hoof beats behind, until the sound
Wa almost merged into the murmur of
the wind, but before she had time for
cougratulation again the regular strokes
of hoofs broke out crisp and clear. and
this time il was evident that there was
more than one pursuer.
Blaine at FIRST had been so intent on the
chase that beyond the word of command
us ue udsUSu ny us men, hc hoN nv
given further heed 10 them But pres
entity when bis horse swerved from some
rock or ant hill in his path, and he
shouted out the accustomed warning, the
absence OF response suddenly aroused
him TO the unweicome fact that he
had outpaced his troop. He accordingly
slowed down, then halted and listened.
While l. was about turning to go back
he heard horseman advancing at gal
lop. Soon he could trace the approach
by the fash of sparks struck from the
stones.
''who is that, he asked for the third
time that night.
The other dashed up without replying
curbed his horse with strong grasp aud
peered into Blaine 3 face. 1t was Dali
ston.
.'where is she, he asked hoarsely
'Is che safe?''
''who is she? Good heaven, man, is
that really Miss Rath ahead?h
eyes, and we have driven her TO it by
our accursed folly