Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-12-03


lage, at the end of coue, half a-mile
away, and hurried to it.
As rode out of the coule, the sight
that met my eyes almost made my heart
stand still. Fifty yards away, standing
between two mounds, was little Daisy,
and in circle, surrounding her, were a
score Of rattlesnakes, all coiled ready to
spring, but, for some inscrutable reason,
hesitating. Either the child was not
alarmed, or else she was too frightened
to cry.
halted short. To keep on was to
invite the death of the little one. What
could Ido2 As l sat, half dazed, heard
the sound of horses hoofs, and presently
Teddy and MISS Carnahan rode up.
Unable to speak, pointed to the scene
among the mounds. Miss Carnahan
nearly fell from her saddle, aud her eyes
started. Teddy's face blanched, but his
nerves did not desert him. l saw him
measure the distance with his eye, and
look to see if his saddle girts were all
right Then he spoke hastily:
There's only one chance, but I'll
try it.
There was a bound and a rush, as the
buckskin few towar the mounds; then
we saw Teddy reach down-there was a
fash of white-and in another second the
baby was safe in his arms, and the
knowing bronco was carefully picking
his way out of the prairie dog village.
One chance, Teddy had said. Yes, that
was all, and he had won. If his horse
had stumbled-if he had missed his
grasp of the child, or if she, frightened
at the sound of his approach, had started
to run, the result would have been very
different.
As we rode thankfully homeward, |
could not help seeing the glsnces Miss
Carnahan occasionally cast at the figure
of the gallant Teddy, who hurried on
ahead with the child; and was glad,
for Potter's sake, that Teddy did not
also see them.
But this incident was not the only one
that gave Teddy chance to raise him
self IN everybodys estimation. Fortune
is understood to favor the brave; Ger
tainly she favored Teddy, aud that, too,
the very next day.
Major Carnahan and his daughter,
Potter, Sut and the scribe had ridden up
the creek to see bunch of choice cattle;
and, having plenty of time to spare,
aud wishing to show the guests some
pretty scenery, we extended our trip
several miles further.
Misc and DDtTnr 6oJ ,;lJo,
up the slope on the right to investigate
some buffalo waIlows, aud Teddy had
fallen behind bit to pluck some f}wers,
when, suddenly, Sut started, aud listened
intentIy. From the hills on the east,
beyond where Miss Clrnahan aud Mr..
Potter were, rumbling, rushing sound
came, mingled with confused believing.
'Stampedel" gasped Sutley. "Hi-l.i!
Come away gu exp and he motioned to
the couple on the slope, but they did not
see nor hear him. We started toward
them, full speed, yelling at the top of
our voices, just az the heal of the herd
of wild, thirsty cattle appearc l, bearing
directly toward the unconscious couple
at the buffalo wallows. They were
coming as only stampeded clttle can
come, and there were hut few secoul5
OF time in which to escape.
Presently Miss Canadian heard US, and
glanced up, then seemed to call Potter's at
tention to the coming cattle. We rode out
of the way, noting, as we did so, that the
engaged couple were doing likewise. Then
something happened that has cost more
lives than one Miss Canadians horse
was ''stampe1ed he baked aud fought
the bit, but would not stir an inch out
his tracks, while Potter's, on the Goa
trary, took the bit in his teeth an tore
away at fearful speed, resisting all his
riders efforts to hold him.
Miss Carnahan was just out of the
track of the rushing cattle, but every
man Of us knew that before we could
reach her side they would be passing
her, and her horse was almost certain to
dash into the herd. She did not at
tempt to dismount, but we could see
that she realized her danger, and was
making every effort to control her horse,
bat to no purpose.
What we had expected, happened. As
the stream of cattle Numbered by, Miss
Carnahan's horse leaped forward, almost
unseating her, aud raced directly into
the edge of the herd, heading diagoually
for the thickest part. Taen, while
We gazed, too far away to aid, some
thing flew across the slope 10 front of us,
aud Teddy, forcing his splendid buck
skin to his top speed, followed the STAN,
peded horse.
1t seemed hours, but it was only
minute or SO, when it was all over.
Teddy, guiding his horse beautifully,
overlook the gray before he reached the
centre of the herd. We saw Miss Carna.
han look up in response to his shout,
evidently understanding that she was to
slip her stirrup; and, presently, guided
by a master hand, the blcksGjn, carry
ing double, gradually worked his way
out OF the crush aud to place of safety
not twenty yards from the bank of the
creek, where Miss Carnahan's pony and
q score of cattle were crushed to death.
1t was very thankful party that
went home carrying Miss Carnahau,
who, Of course, tainted promptly when
the danger was over The major gripped
Teddys hand in silence, too much over
come to speak his thanks, and we en-
barrassed him frightfully with our ad-
miration, the last one of the party to
shake his hand being poor Potter who,
from the top of a hill halt a mile distant,
had seen the whole affair, and whose
"God bless you, Thayer~ came from
the fullness of relieved heart. If any
more agonizing situation can be conceived
for an adoring lover than must have been
Potter's, helplessly watching his sweet
heart being carried to almost certain
death l have yet to know it. And then,
that night, heard her tell him, mean
ingly, that she despised coward
She understood, next day, that he was
not to blame; but the words had been
said, aud other words, too. l don't
know what these latter were, tor Teddy
probably spoke them as he carried Miss
Granular away from the stampeded herd
but it is quite certain that he said
something, and that there was sorrow
ahead for Potter and the Massachusetts,
girl Ito whom Teddy had not been
writing as regularly as usual,) unless
something happened to prevent.
Justa day or two before the visitors
were to leave us, Sutley came III one
morning with very grave face.
Professor Loriug's got the small
~ l.. /