The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-03-04

L
half-hifch around the saddle bow. and.
squirting my horse. drew il away from
Is owner ~ whom. try as ! might. ]
I could not catch glimpse.
About twenty yards i'm front OF me
great bowldcr had fallen into the
path. 50 nearly blocking IL that there
was barely room left for = horse to
squeeze past made up my mind that
from behind this the decisive attack
would come, and ! held my carbine
ready.
My horse went quietly along until
his nose projected beyond the rock.
but then he suddenly recoiled. with q
loud snort Of alarm The crisis had
come. A black hand was thrust out,
the bit seized and an attempt made 20
lead the animal around the curve; but
ne jerked back in terror and pulled u
demonstrating sambo into foil view.
The next instant the miscreant fell.
with bullet through his brain, and
slid OF over the cruppcr, making the
horse, completely filling the passage, =
bulwark between the assailants and
myself
| II hoped that the fellows would
come out Of cover now. and thus give
me an easy victory: but they were too
cunning for this. and for . minute,
| perhaps. no move was maze on either
side. The poor horse. unable to adj
l vance or retreat, stood trembling with
fear. His quivering ears told me that
the rascals Were still in their hiding
place; and. kneeling down on the hard
path. looked steadily ahead. hoping
10 get shot past his legs in case they
showed themselves
but they had safe game. My at
tention was wholly fixed on the dam
ger in 'front.' and ! had totally forgot
ten the lasso incident. when heard a
pebble crate on the trail behind me.
sprang to my feet in time to see a
machete blade flash through the air
The least fraction of a seconds delay
and my head would have been split,
but now l caught the descending blow
upon my car bine barrel, and almost in
the same motion brought tn latter
down upon the skull OF the swarthy
brute. who sank lifeless to the ground.
Naturally ! stood for an instant
gazing upon my work The whole ep-
ISOLDE had not occupied one-quarter Of
minute. But that was enough. The
two remaining villains. apparently
having waited for this diversion, had
crept under the belly Of the horse. and,
as turned in my tracks, both together
threw themselves upon me. not having
time nor room TO strike effectively.
They were big. heavy rufiians, and
the assault was so sudden that was
borne down at once. and lay. in mo
ment. helpless. with their cruel eyes
glaring into mine. But yet, lying fa'
upon my back. held with death
clutch 10 the carbine, aud all their eff
forts could not tear il away. The re
volver. which l had put in my belt
was beneath me. and the scoundrels
were so hard put to hold me down thai
neither Of them dared to let go 70 U.s.
his machete-
They raved and cursed. pulled and
tngged like madmen; but still ! hel<
on. Then . new idea struck them
Both knelt with all their loathsomt
weight uron my body, and one Of them
releasing the hold of his right hand
drew . knife.
II shut my eyes a. the murderou
wretch fixed his gaze upon my bar'
throat and raised his knife on high
But the blow did not fall: for, before
the armed hand had time TO descend. |
binding sheet Of flame shot athwar
my closed lids, . sharp report rang out
and the would-be assassin fell acros'
my breast. his black heart pierced b,
J a bullet from the pistol Of Mary Fair!
"IIis accomplish uttered frightfu
yell. let 60 he carbine and made |
dash up the hillside for cover. To-
/ late lie had not climbed twenty fee
when threw the carbon of, jumpes
up and leveled my rifle. The fellow
had already concealed himself behin'
low bush. but saw IL shake. and Of
the crack Of my gum he rolled down tn
declivity, stone dead
Then turned 70 my preserver. VIII
had sunk half-fainting upon tn
ground. II was not q time for MIC
forrualities OF speech, and, as ! raises
her tenderly. said:
81 MAY God reward you, Mary! Yos
have saved my life. indeed. But hov
did you happen 10 come just 1t tn
right moment?'
: THE noble girl. deeply moved q my
self. and equally oblivicus Of etiquette
| frankly answered:
Why. Harry. when ! heard you
first shot. followed you at once, an
had Just hidden myself behind tia
little bush there. when the two mel
sprang upon You. They were too bus.
ID notice me. and I pointed the pisto
straight at the breast Of the one wit
the knife and pulled Che trigger
1--WE said a great deal more, you ma.
BE- sure. will. but IL would not interes
YOU: and as Miss Fair was shudderinI
with horror over her own brave deed
| / lifted her once more to the saddle
and we set out on our eight-mile wal
10 her mothers home. Mrs. Fair me
US long before we reached tn
hacienda. and was overwhelmed wit
10Y on finding Us both unhurt
shortly after this event, wound q
INV business and returned to tn
I states. where hope 70 spend the re-
maindcr OF my life. for lin all my war
behring's have found no country.quite .
GOOD - our own"