The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-05-09
CHAPTER Y.

CHAPTER V.
ONE dull, chilly day in the early part
~ of November, 1856, Howard was
compelled to go to his cattle ranch
thirty miles away. He reached there a
little before noon, ate dinner with his |
foreman and gave directions for the
driving of herd of cattle to Denver
City.
After seeing that everything was in
readiness for starting, he mounted his
horse to return home.
His foreman was an old plainsman
and never ut a loss to read correctly |
the storm signals nature always dis
plays to those who care TO study them |
"You had better hurry, captain, or
not start ut ALL" he suggested. "Thar
will be snow up thar afore night an, if
you get caught you will have a tough
time of it.''
"Yes," said Herndon, casting his
experienced eyes to the southwest hori-
son, "but l am well mounted and fair
ly provided for. l think | will get in
before night. Adios." And tightening
his reins, he was off.
With long, easy gallop, his horse
bore him rapidly homeward.
As he was crossing slight eminence
that lay in his way, his keen eyes, ac-
customed to long distance, detected
far to the left moving bodies, or some
thing he could not exactly determine.
Hastily unswinging his field glass,
which he always carried at his side, he
adjusted it to his eye, and saw what
seemed to be two horsemen riding as if
fleeing for life, and troop of others
riding hard after them; but, as near rs
he could make out, still q considerable
distance in their rear.
Men, living like he had lived for the
past seven years, learn to take nothing
for granted. Caution becomes second
nature; and while such men are invari-
ably brave and daring to the extreme
of recklessness when the nature of the
danger that confronts them is under
stood, they are not inclined to run
hecdlessly into u band of Indians, or
even strange white men, without first
trying to- ascertain their intentions, and
their numbers.
As soon as Howard had focused the
moving bodies, which he judged to be
about ten miles away, he saw that the
direction they were moving would in u
short while bring them across the
course he was travelling. Still he could
avoid or intercept them as he chose,
and but little time would be required
to determine which to do.
Dismounting from his horse, he com
PEELED the well trained animal to lie
down. Then, crouching beside il, he
again leveled his glass and gaZed long
and intently at the fleeing horsemen
who were coming nearer to him rapidly.
"By George!" he muttered, "one of
those in front is a woman, and white
one at that. No Indian or Mexican
woman rides that way. Her compan-
ion is u white man and those Others
are Cheyennes, as I'm living! Why,
that fellows q tenderfoot, or he'd
never let them drive him this direction.
He should have headed for the Pueblo
trail.
"Well, snow or no snow, | must
help them out. SO, here goes" just
rs he reached this conclusion, the pur-
suing party was lost from sight behind
grove of mesquite trees, and Herndon,
quickly mounting his horse which had
arisen to his feet at word from its
master, dashed down the trail and
headed in the direction of the pursued
and pursuers.
Presently he saw that the Idians
were trying to drive their chase toward
certain valley between two noun
talns, and conjectured that there was
an Indian encampment in that vicinity.
BY continuing in the direction he
was now going, Herndon knew he
could place himself across their course
and take them in flank.
By so doing, he might, by sudden
attack, create n diversion that would
enable the man and woman to make
their escape.
Filled with the fire of conflict, his
mad speed soon brought him much
nearer to both parties. As he had an
ticipated, the Indians had turned the
course of the man and woman, and
these, without knowing it, were dash
ing on to certain destruction.
Could he reach them? That was
the question uppermost in his mind
Fortunately that which threatened ulti-
mate disaster to the man and woman,
brought them closer to his route.
Just on the left was q grove of mes
quite several miles in extent. The In
dians were on the other side of this,
and he could boldly push forward 10 the
point of this where they would have to
pass, without danger of being discov-
cred by them. But it was nearly seven
miles to that point, and who could tell
the pursuers would not overhaul their
chase long before the point was reach
ed, and he be able to intercept themp P
The Indians had been gaining rapid
ly, and the man and woman were in
iminent danger of being captured.
..If | cannot rescue them [ can
avenge them," was Howard's mental
reflection us he urged his horse TO its
greatest speed.
/, 1t was an exciting scene. On one
side of the low-lying wood man and
woman on horseback fleeing for life.
Behind them and SO close that their
screeching ''yi yi's" could be heard,
by the man and woman rode Il
half score of Cheyenne Indians,
their ugly faces made still more hid
eous by the gaudy war paint they had
/, daubed over them. These were push
ing their fieetfooted ponies to their
, utmost. Now one of them fits an ar
row to the short, stiff bow "f the
Indian of the plains, and the feathered
shaft wings swiftly through the air and
t whizzes past the fleeing whites. An
other and another is sent, the hutter OF
, the feather singing dangerously near
them; but SO rapid is the flight that the
arrows miss their aim and fall harmless
8 to the ground.
On the other side of the grove the
lone horseman is pressing forward,