Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-18

rapidly rode. 4 few moments r7d<
and he had reached it.
Bringing his horse down to q gentle
walk, he sdvanced to the edge OF the
brush and trees and looked IN the di
rection of the distant cabins. His eyes
rested on q scene that caused his blood
] to go leaping wildly through his veins.
Less than a half mile away came
figure on horseback that he recognized
as Bessie's. and not fifty yards behind
her, IN swift pursuit, were three In
dians, evidently bent on making her
prisoner, while scattered over the
prairie, In the rear of her nearest pur-
suers were dozen more saTages, all
urging their prisoners forward at the
top of their speed.
He saw that Bessie was trying to
reach the ford, and if they continued in
their present course the sayages would
pass in twenty yards of the spot where
he was standing. He prepared to re-
ceive them by swinging his Sharp's rifle
from his shoulders and loosening his
revolyers In their holsters.
1t was becoming dark, and he be-
heved that if he could hold the In
dams of for an hour he and Bessie
would then be able to elude their en-
emies In the darkness, for the continual
| cracking of rifles on the south side of
the stream warned him that it would be
useless to attempt to reach either place.
When Bessie was nearly opposite the
place where he stood, he moved for
ward little so that she could see him
and motioned toward her with his hand.
She saw him and wheeled her pony so
as to pass behind him.
The Indians did not perceive their
danger till it was too late to escape
their doom.
Bang, bang, bang, rang the rife and
revolver and three riderless horses gal
loped away over the plain, but not till
the last one had sent an arrow that
buried itself deep in one of the
shoulders of Jacks horse, causing the
animal to rear and plunge frsntically,
but Jack was a good rider and main
tanned his position in the saddle. In q
moment the horse had become quiet.
Telling Bessie to follow, Jack led, the
way toward point of timber some two
miles down the stream. His gravest
fear was that his horse would fail him
before he reached the coveted position.
Before half the distance had been
passed over he realized that his fears
were well grounded; his horse was rap
idly failing him, and already Bessie
was holding her pony in to keep beside
her lover. This permitted their enc
mics to gain rapidly on them.
When within hundred yards of the
land In which the timber was located
Jacks horse suddenly stopped and re-
fused to move on, and he was compelled
to dismount and run the remainder of
the distance on foot.
The Elkhorn River here made sharp
bend out, and then back, nearly enclos-
ing piece of land some ten acres in ez-
tent. The neck connecting this with
the main land was only about twenty
yards wide, and two determined per-
sons could hold it against a score as
long as they were not assailed from the
rear.
Bessie carried a good revolver, and
was skilled in its use.
Crouching behind fallen tree, they
awaited the attack of the savages.
The Indians, however, were too wise
to rush headlong into an assault; they
had witnessed Jacks skill with fire.
arms, and had no desire to recklessly
test it further. Accordingly they
paused Just beyond rife range, and
Jack could just distinguish their forms
through the gathering darkness as they
engaged in short ''pow-wow" over the
mode of attack they should adopt. At
length he could perceive that they had
agreed upon a plan, and were scatter
ing out and stealing toward the Young
couple.
Leaving Bessie behind the fallen tree
to guard that side, Jack crept over to
the opposite side of the narrow neck
and took up his position behind half
decayed stump.
It was not long till he saw a couple
of round objects apparently floating
toward him, and it did not take him
long to discover that it was the heads of
a couple of Indians who were hoping
thus to escape detection by their foes.
Takingl careful aim at the
foremost one with his rife,
he fired; yell of mortal agony told
him that his shot had not been in vain.
Instantly ne snatched his revolver from
hisl belt and fred two shots at the re-
naming Indian, and he sank from sight
and was seen no more.
A couple of shots from the other side
of the neck informed him that Bessie
was not idle. The Indians responded
with fight of arrows, and couple of
guns were discharged toward them,
but without effect. The Indians had
evidently not been expecting so warm
q reception, for they Withdrew a short
distance. and he could hear their
voiceslthough it was so dark he could
not see them.
Now was his time to escape. Hur-
redly crossing to where Bessie was
still crouching behind the log, he
whispered :to her to follow him. Slip
ping down to the edge of the water
they found log which
had drifted against the bank.
Pushing it out into the water, he and
Bessie lay down one on each side of it,
with an arm thrown over the log for
support Jack gently padded the log
out into the stream, and then allowed It
to drift with the current.