The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-28

said Steve.
You had no business shooting here
at all. own the privilege OF shooting
on this ground"
Come, boys" said Bob. Steve had
mounted, and now all three galloped
off Bentley sprang forward to seize
Steve's bride and dropped his gun. one
barrel of which exploded.
| SIS what he said about owning tho
shooting around here true?" asked.
NO" answered Bob. "He is very
angry now; that is all Perhaps when
he finds his dog is unhurt he will feel
better"
Il am afraid Bentley will chase US. I"
said Steve. HE had a horse there
somewhere.
"Yes, there he comes now" observed
Bob. But we have mile head start
of him. We can beat him to the herd.
see it now"
We went rapidly on, wasting little
breath now. Bentley steadily gained.
Although we were not afraid of the
man, we did not wish to have trouble
WltA AC ACtu "1o 4CCo1hS5
away from us. There were two or
three cowboys at its rear. watching the
race between Bentley and ourselves
with little interest. We rode up, and
Bob SAID:
Jim, we've been having little
trouble with that man coming. l wish
you would stop him and give us chance
to get out of his way"
Been shootin' more cattle, eh?" said
the herder, with a grin.
Never mind" was the only reply he
got.
'sThese are fathers cattle" said
Bob to me; "now we'll ride right in
among 'em and wait and see the fun"
We rode up nearly to the front of the
herd, and there stopped our horses.
Bentley soon came riding up and
started directly into the grove. The
cowboy stopped him.
Hello, pard! you amt goin' right by
without speakin' to me. be you?"
Hands off, you dirty viilain!" said
Bentley.
''Why. pard! what's the matter? You
used ter have the best temper l ever
saw. What's come over YEP"
Bentley cooked his gun. eff you
don't let me by will Eli you and those
boys full of lead" he said.
'sNow, pardr' began the cowboy.
Bentley raised his gun and fired! None
of us were hit by the shot. but with
a tremendous sound, the herd was
stampeded. The whole body of cattle
was seized with a panic. They start
ed off and we were carried with them.
The cattle were fresh, and we knew
they would rush on for hours. Our
horses, although comparatively fresh,
mad heavy burdens. / saw that Bob
threw everything he could, and Steve
and followed his example.
We plunged on for a long time.
There was nothing to do but sit easy in
the saddle, ready to help the horse up
if he should STUN BILE, though more than
the slightest stumble meant death.
There were more than three thousand
cattle in the herd; thousand would
pass over US if we fell.
l was beginning to feel stupid when
slight hope appeared We were riding
in the direction of chain of low bluffs,
which crossed the plain about mile
ahead, intersected by many openings.
Just before us rose spur from this
chain, perhaps fifty feet high, its point
toward us, the first ten feet dead fall.
On either side trees grew and hung over
the edge of the bluff. This spur
served to split the herd, part going
down one side and part down the other.
had lost control of my horse long be-
fore this, but when l saw that Steve
and Bob were being carried down the
other side, tried to turn him SO as to
keep with them. But it was useless
The cattle crowded and surged as they
carried me along. There was tree
growing over the edge of the bluff. its
limbs hanging down so that | could
reach them. AS l passed under this
tree, | snatched at it, almost uncon-
sciouslv, and then found myself hang
ing over the backs OF the rushing herd.
| was dazed and hardly knew what |
did The thunder of hoofs died away
and l dropped to the ground.
lay there in stupor, but presently
somebody spoke, and roased up lit
tie and saw Steve and Bob bending over
ne, whom had never expected to see
again.
DO you feel better?" said Bob
II don't know Are they gomez"
Yes; you're safe. old fellow. Come
now, we viii move along. We must be
twenty miles from home Bob put
me on his horse. and we slowly moved
On. As the dazed feeling passed away
inquired how they had escaped
Bob explained: You see when the
herd divided our horses were forced
up against the bluff There is a little
canyon en- that side, and managed 70
make my horse turn into it Saeve's
followed mine"
Here Steve interrupted: what CO
you suppose the herders did TO Bent
ley?'
Well. guess they fixed il SO he viii
wish he had let it alone" replied Bob.
We logged on. taxing turns n riding
and walking. You may ask aow we
knew the way. We simply followed
The track OF the herd We had been on
the back track an hour or more when
some horseH,en appeared They proved
10 be the cowboys coming TO look
for Us
''Huuo, you kids. How did you get
out of that stampede" yeiled the fore /