The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-03-06

failure to attend. Meantime, StEyker,
all unconscious Of her cenSure, was chat
ting laughngly with Nrs. Spragus and
exchanging shots with the colonel and
Mrs. Lawrence. The four were getting
on admirably together, and seemed too
much absorbed in their own fun 10 note
the fact that Mrs. Belknap and her knot
Of four or five satellites had been grad
ually edging away toward the right, and
that the rest Of the hunt was becoming
widely scattered
at Is time we stirred up q Jack rabbit
at least, " said the colonel Suppose we
veer over toward the northwest little
Whatever we do. we want no chase down
there toward Dunraven; those wire fences
would spoil Il all"
II wonder II those people never hunti-
said Mr.. Farnham, who had Joined the
quartet; he always kept close TO his
colonel, rs befitted an aspirant for the
adjutancy. "Englishmen are generally
game for all sorts Of sport"
~ can see hoFsemen out there on the
prairie 10 the east Of the ranch" said
Stryker, whose eyes were keen, land
could have sworn q moment ago thAtl
saw q horsewoman."
Nonsense, Capt. StrykerT" exclatmed
Mira Lawrence, yet with quick glance
at Mrs. Sprague. "What could you
have taken for q lady on horseback
Do you suppose there could be ladies al
DunraVen and we not know Ia"
Hardly possible" answered the cap
tain, "and therefore doubted the eVI.
dence Of my senses. Yet something very
like lady followed BY . groom rode
down the slope into the valley about ten
minutes ago. She Is out Of sight In the
timber now. II Perry were only with
Ne I'd send him of there 10 See"
eyes, we miss Perry on our hunts,-
said the colonel TO, his lady friends.
"He Il one Of our best riders and most
enthusiastic sportsmen. He will DO out.
will he not, StrykerS"
sity for his staying In, and I 90 told him;
but he felt that he ought 10, Ut least
until certain work was finished Then
he said he could ride eastward and Join
Us, Hurrahl there they goI"
Far out to the front, straight to the
east, 10 gray streak with Q white tip to
e" went shooting into space a. 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 a. he crouched behind
q little bunch Of weeds; then with one
mighty leap and the accompaniment Of
q wild yelp from his discoverer he sprang
forth into Tace for his precious life.
"Hoyl hoyF yells the sergeant a. no
sights the quarry. "HurrahP shout the
nearest huntsmen, and, with one stimuli
taneous impulse, skirmishing ours,
stealthy, springing hounds, eager Steeds.
and jubilant riders-men and women
away goes the entire fleld sweeping In
pursuit. At FIRST all Is one mad rush
until Il % certain that the rabbit q O
veteran who understands well the maxim
that "a stern chase Is long chase" all
the world over.
Close behind the master Of the hounds,
all eyes fred 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
ParkO and Graham. two eight weights,"
who have coursed many mile Of prairie.
Just behind them. little 10 their right,
rides Mrs. Belknap, her veil fluttering
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 90 firmly. Splendidly
she sits her neet 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 Mira Sprague. with
StTyker riding warily alongside and
watching her going before he will sat-
isfy himself that Il q safe TO trust her to
her own guiding. Level - the prairie
10 here, he knows that mile or 90 ahead
there are "breaks" leading down into
the valley Of one Of the lnnumerable
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 'SeeT' 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 weights-infantTy and
cavalry-arO beginning TO lose ground.
and Still that gray puff ball" far to the
front seems inch BY inch TO DO slipping
away from his pursuerA VIII he keep
his determined course, up hill and down,
straight away to the east, or will he lose
heart, tack, veer, double and twist II
be swerve he Il . lost rabbit
Far TO the rear, yelping. painting, dis
tFactod By this time, the terriers and
mongrols, the original leaders, have fall.
en-. The field, too. Is strung out nearly
. mile deep at the end Of the first sig
minutes run. for some Of the laggards
have given up and are disposed 70 wait
for the coming Of the buggies and buck
boarda Here at the front all l. 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
arroYoI" ahouts Oraham % Parke. for