San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-24
thlnk OF itT"

the blizzard came from the northwest,
from their left front; it beat across their
path all the way and mules won't face
it, and If it isn't the ambulance they're
after, what can it be-
"My God, if we only knew where it
vast" groaned Brewster. Come what
may, men. we've got to stand 'twixt it
and those scoundrels. Here, Murphy,
lively now, slip back down into the val
ley and ride for all you're worth to the
ford and bring those fellows back with
you, every man of them. Tell them to
keep under the bank and ride like hell.
Off with yoT, now" And this time there
was no recall: Murphy was out of sight
in flash.
Nearer and nearer rode the savage
horsemen, now about a mile away.
Already Morse and his silent comrade
had swung their carbines out of their
leathern buckets, thrust a cartridge in
the chamber and loosened others in the
woven thimbles. Brewster never for an
instant quit his gaze, but his hand had
stolen back and loosed the flap of the
holster at his hip. The movements of
the Indians had puzzled him; they were
riding not as though moving ON some
point already determined, but rather as
if searching, feeling their way. Every
now and then, too, some of their num-
Der cantered to the edge of the bank and
seemed to scrutinize the valley.
'Snowdrifts are too deep and plenti'
full in there, around that bend, sir.
That's why they're up on the prairie"
Brewster's heart seemed almost to
stand still. All ON sudden the leaders
swerved: the blanketed riders could be
seen bending low and over as they
swung their nimble steeds in circle to
the right. And then, then, an instant
more, and, tossing the powdery snow all
in feecy white cloud, there came tear
ing up out of the depths of some unseen
joicing in their unwonted freedom and
determined not to be herded back to
slavery without a struggle.
1t was hard to repress the shout of Joy
that sprang to the soldiers lips. Then
it wasn't the ambulance after all; moth.
ing but this frolicsome band of rascals
that, after breaking away from the In
dian boys the evening before, had doubt.
less been driven before the gale, de.
handing the sending forth Of quite
party of the young men in search. even
before the storm had fully abated. Fol
a moment the troopers forgot their mis-.
sion as they watched the chase. Fresh
and unhampered by weight of any kind
the scurrying band came sweeping along
the edge of the distant bluff, following
an active, mischievous leader and leav
ing their jaded pursuers far behind. The
Indian knows too much to chase run
ming horse; he leaves him to his own de.
vices, well knowing he will more quick
ly stop when unpursued and can then
more readily be headed off and turned
back to the ways he should go. On
came the nimble herd full tilt toward
the elbow in the shallow valley, where
broad white streak told of deep drifted
snow, and there the leader veered to tho
left and south and would doubtless have
stretched away at racing speed on that
course but for one young warrior on a
dun colored pony, who with the speed Of
the wind came darting out across the
level surface beyond, gamely, skillfully
heading him. Around went the leader
once more in a wide circle westward,
around the sOuthermost edge of the
teecy drift, and then, with laundering
hoofs, the whole troop went bounding
away to the west without living soul
to interpose between them and the bald,
rolling heights at the far horizon, miles
and miles away.
go it, pony! I'm glad to see a red.
skin done for once!" was Morse's JUDI.
liant shout. And then, suddenly and
sharp, Good God! What's that, Lieu.
tenant? Look"
Not six hundred yards away, now, the
little band of ponies, following thei1
spirited leader, had suddenly halted at
the very edge of some dip or sink in the
prairie that lay to the southeast of the
snowy rift in which the troopers were
crouching, still hidden, they and theiI
horses, from the sharp eyes of the chas
ing Indians. Then as suddenly, tossing
high their sCraggy names, as though
with one accord, the nimble brutes
whirled to the south, their leader in
dulging in a fine flourish of heels as he
sped away. And now Morse lay against
the bank pointing eagerly to a couple Of
black objects startlingly outlined on the
glistening white of the snow, two OBJ
| iects that came plunging up from the
invisible depths of the hollow, strug'
Cling breast deep in the drifts, and at
last reached the edge of the prairie, and,
followed instantly by another couple,
with their long ears erect, with out
stretched neck and eager brayings, clat-
tered away in pursuit of the herd.
p,o1,-S+ar lyDayy them at a plance-Ster-