The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-05

bless my own dear papa and mamma, and
little baby brother, and MIR. Big Jack, and
all the boys at the Stone Corral"
Starting up and drawing the back of his
hand hastily across his eyes, and endeav-
oring to steady his voice, Big Jack said:
Jimmie, you an Juan stay an tend ter
the leetle an. We uns are ergoin to help
the folks"
Crash, and the dugout door few open,
and five determined men-yes, men in
every sense of the word that night-rushed
to the corral, buckling on the heavy six
shooters as they ran.
Take the black"
"You take the sorrel."
mo, he's had long days ride already"
"Hew's ther blue roan?"
"He's fresh"
"Be sure an all get fresh horses, boys
God knows we'll need 'em bad enough"
'Pm taking the blazed face bay"
"Better not-he's stiff in the shoulder"
"Pintn is fresh"
The heavy stock saddles are slapped on,
and muscular arms tug and tug at the
long latigo straps until the chinchas seem
as if they would cut through hair and hide,
so tight are they.
''Be sure and cinch 'em well, boys, we
can't stop to tighten 'em after we get
started"
AYE, aye, yer kin bet on us. Jack"
Are yer all o K?"
"You bet''
''Ihen head fer the Badly mountain, an
If ever you spurred, spur this night
Out and away, leaning low, until our
breasts almost rested on the saddle horns,
and with spurs tightly pressed against our
bronehos' sides, we swept swiftly away
from the Stone Corral. Big Jack was on
| the left and little in the lead, and as we
rushed over low sand ridge I saw him
and his horse showing dark and clearly
cut against the sky. He was riding his
best this night, and his blue roam was
stretching himself like thoroughbred.
On and on, with rushing noise, like
the sound of great wings; now a sharp
| ejaculation or a smethered oath from
| somebody as his horse made stumble,
and now pushing silently on, cutting the
cool night wind like arrows-and yet, dear
heaven, we may be too late!
Pull er leetle to the left, boys; we kin
make better running"
| Runningl they are running like racers
now; but can they keep it up for twenty
miles over the sandy, heavy ground?
But there were no signs of weakening
| yet, and at every Lift of the steel they
| plunged forward like frightened deer.
And now we came to long stretch COW
cred with loose and jagged granite; at any
other time we would have pulled up and
carefully picked our way over. But to-
night the stake we were riding for was far
too precious to care for horsefesh or even
our own necks; so with slightly frightened
reins and only our toes resting in the broad
stirrups, we pushed madly across, the
sparks flashing as the iron shoes clashed
against the rough rock.
Across at last, thank God, and once more
on the smooth plain, our gallant cayuses,
with ears well forward and distended nos
trils, were stretching themselves and
throwing dust like heroes.
Rising ahead of US and looking almost
like small cloud was the ''lonc tree"
Half way, boys"
Thank heaven fer that; but do yer
s'pose the cayuses kin keep his gait and
git thar"
No answer to that question; we all feared
that the brave brutes would drop, and
but, dear heaven help US, we must get
there to save the mother. and babe or die
trying.
WIN Si1Sub S"tTNc we passed Inc lone
tree, looking strangely weird as it stood
all alone, like some gigantic sentinel keep
ing watch and ward over the plain below.
Toiling over more sand ridges, the horses
were breathing hard and running heavily,
but still doing very little stumbling.
Out of the sand and up on the rim rock
we tried a squirt, but the jaded animals
were doing their best, and the steel failed
10 aNytr If
mile would bring us to point where we
would be able If it were daylight to see the
settlers cabin.
Through long sag, then dry creek
bed; crashing through the stunted will
lows that lined its banks, we breasted the
slight ascent and in another minute were
on the summit. We invoiuntarily checked
our painting horses, and a thrill Of horror
ran through US as we saw a bright glare of
light ahead.
TOO late, too late, boysl The reds have
got 'em." Jacks voice sounded almost
like groan.
How far are we from the place."
'Erbout five miles round by the wagon
road, but we kin lead our horses down the
deer trail and git thar in two"
Then lets follow the deer trail; we
v
Leading our staggering. trembling
horses, we cautiously crept down the pre-
cipitous trail, and mounting, headed
straight for the glare, which even in tho |
valley could be distinctly seen.
Nobody now remembered that we were |
only i've to thirty, and goaded and cut by |
the spurs the cayuses carried Us rapidly |
over the ground
the shadow of some overhanging rocks, |
while Hank cautiously erawled up and out |
On projecting shelf to reconnoiter, for If |
the Apaches had any scouts thrown out we |
should have TO be careful, as our only |
chance Of success was TO surprise them
While we were waiting we carefully ex-
anlned our six shooters, and in another |
minute, to our great JOY, Hank was telling /
US that the barn was en- fire. but the dwell |
ing house was still intact, and that he |
could distinctly hear the crack Of rifles, !
showing Us plainly that the brave settler /
was still defending his loved ones.
Now. boys here's ther best plan I kin
think OIL hain't extra much of a CfnerzI. /
but hev 50 idea tibet it's the best way fer /
us ter do. Well lead our critters down 1
this gully till we git ter tibet scrub brush
we kin Go tibet without the reds ketca;ay
on 70 us-then well mount. Yer see bs
that time the c&yuses viii be Citing their
wind purity well. Then we'll ride right
square down on 'em. yelling ike fury. al
wharever red gifts up well down him.
Then If they make it too not for rs well /
dodge inter the cabin"
An what then. jack
Wal we'u soEser helm ths .ee.l@r -