The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-03-17


ure she was. indeed, and what was more
to the purpose, swift and strong. She
had been peculiarly vicious, and Jim had
broken her ia himself. 1 was present at
that breaking in, and, boy as I was, re-
member to this day my feeling of ad-
miration as Jim quietly mounted upon
her back.
"He's blessed young scamp" said
man near me in involuntary delight.
"but, by Jove, he can rider
So he could. Red Mustang exerted ;lll
her powers-which were by no means
slight-in the way of buci1ing, rearing
shying, kicking and plunging. to no pur-
pose. With his feet well in the stir
rups and a firm grip on her sides, jim
stuck on, sparing neither whip nor spur,
and making the lash curl round her i'll a
way that | thought then, and still think,
was brutal But when, all trem bling.
she bowed her beautiful head, and with
the dark fire of her eye owned him mus
ter, he flung away the whip and never
used it again. That was just Jim.
But after the first memorable tussle.
when it had been SO emphatically de
cided whose will was to be obeyed, mas
ter and horse came to very good under
standing. Red Mustangs affection, in
deed, had something pathetic in it, and
the fact that she showed the reverse to
every one else certainly did not lessen
Jim's for her.
Over the prairie the little cavalcade
started, Red Mustang, with that easy
swinging stride of hers, taking the lead
and keeping it. But Jim pulled her up
sharply as there came a triumphant shout
from behind, Here's the trailr'
Riding up, Jim looked at it with his
keen eyes. ''That's no traili'' he said
contemptuously.
Now, the rest of the men having stated
that it was the trail, and being at least
as well able to judge as Jim, did not re-
ceive his remark in the pleasautest spirit.
sit are the trail, said Daryl Dash, in
a quietly conclusive way, as if that set
tied it.
''But it aren't!' said Jim squarely.
| Now, Daryl Dash was one of the most
trusted hands in the camp, and being
backed by Big. Ben, the rest naturally
took his side.
''This AIM no time for foolin',-' they
said" very sternly. "Here's trail, plain
as can be; and we're goin' to follow it up
''Tm not foolin'," retorted Jim, with Il
kind of desperate earnestness. 'sThat
trails too plain for Injins to have left.
unless they done it a purpose. 1 can
find the trail right enough if you let me.
Trust me, boys"
| My poor jim! As man sows so shall
he reap. What had he done, in all his
reckless, dissolute life, to be trusted
now? He was not trusted; nay, more,
he was left, half mad with anger and
despair, to find his trail alone.
''Take it, or leave it, the men had said
as they galloped off upon their trail.
/ Away in the east the sun was touch
ing the Sky with red gold light. Great
crimson bars, hecked with orange
| cleaned out broadly, and then melted
into the softer harmony around, and be-
fore one knew it, the whole shining mass
united and out flashed the sun. But be-
fore it did that Jim had made up his
mind to do a very risky thing-to rescue
Dolly single handed. Who else was
there to do it? The others had ridden
away in a direction which was every
moment taking them farther away from
the right track.
my God!" he said wildly. Was it d
prayer from those rough ips?-a prayer
which the Good Shepherd heard an6
answered? For jim played a hero's part
that day. He found the trail. For the
sun, glinting downward, caught the
light of a small pink object on the brush
wood and rested there lovingly. Moth
ing much-just the torn string from
| little child's sunbonnet. But at the
| sight Jim broke into a suppressed
whistle of triumph, and raced Red Mus
tang forward as she had never beer
raced before. never like to think abou
that ride. Enough, the Red Mustans
responded Loyalty to the situation. From
moon to dewy eve" she carried jim
steadily. But when, trembling, foam
hecked and parched with thirst, b,
stopped her as the Indian camp loomet
in sight, he knew that his work was Gu
out.
''Quiet! old lassi quietr' he said
cautiously dismounting and patting he
with look on his face that few bu
Dolly or Red Mustang had ever seel
there.
The gallant beast seemed to under
stand, and suppressing whinny, rubbe,
her nose wistfully against the cares
sing hand.
Half gliding, half creeping forward
Jim took in the situa ton at glance
The Indians had evidently only jus
stopped and were hastily improvising
sort of camp. But, unsuspicious as the,
were of being followed SO soon, jim
knew that this first careless hustle of al
rival would not last long, but that sen
tries would be set to guard against an,
approach. Suddenly his blood thrilled
, for there before him, not a dozen yard
away, lay Dolly reposing on an ol,
blanket in the healthy slean of child
hood.
1t was foolish thing to do, perhaps
considering the state Red Mustang wa