The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-05

in one particular spot where it's only
twenty feet wide. Hurry along like
lightning, SO as to get within shot o1
the reds if they're fools enough to fol
low him to the edge"
Loud cheers greeted this startling
revelation, and every man of US ran as
if the worlds fate depended upon his
individual speed. But, strain as we
might, we were still over three hundred
yards from the to us invisible ra-
vine, when Kit Carson twisted about,
| fired again with unerring aim, and q
| third savage fell Then he dropped his
rifle, threw his heavy holsters and pis-
tolls to the ground, and sitting well
down in his saddle, rode straight for
/ the yawning chasm.
Tom Ross had gained the hither-slde
of the gulch, and the guide was hurry
ing back to join him: but we, now that
the crisis had come, were SO fascina ted
by the sight of Carson's sublime daring
that we involuntarily came to a full
stop, breatsilessly awaiting the result.
On, with short, springy bounds,
| came the black stallion, and Ross, as
| he afterward told us, was close enough
to mark how his mighty muscles seemed
to bunch and gather into hardened
knots as he caught sight of the awful
| leap before him.
Calmly resolute, his unblinl1ing gaze
fixed upon the spot selected for his des-
perate venture, sat the rider With
tightened rein, he holds the noble horse
to his course until within fifty feet of
the ravine's sharp brink. then gives
him free head and, for the first time,
lets the cruel Mexican spurs touch his
glossy Hanks, while from his own lips
rings out defiant cry of triumph, as
II victory We're already assured.
Shortening yet more his stride and
crouching like pather about to spring,
the beautiful animal nears the gaping
void, and we see him shoot, rocket
like, high in the air, while the Indians,
still hundred yards distant, are
stricken dumb and motionless by sheer
wonder. One half-second of suspense:
then we break once more into wild
cheers, for the powerful stallion has
cleared the chasm and reached the op-
posite bank. All, mol Something is
wrong. From where we stand we can
see the head and shoulders of rider and
horse; but both are stationary. Neither
shows out in full, and instantly we
understand, that, although the latter
may have jumped far more than twenty
feet, he has been obliged to take off,
too far back from the crumbling edge
of the ravine and has fallen short of
perfect success.
A low moan of horror runs through
our helpless crowd. All seems lost,
Not for ten seconds can the chest and
forefeet OF the good horse maintain
their preca1ious hold. He and his
rider must fall backward into the ter
rible abyss. Tom Ross sits in his sad I
die not twenty feet away, paralyzed by /
the emminence of the danger Not /
otherwise can we account for his in
action while fractions OF seconds are
precious
One instant more, and the gallant
pair must perish before our eyes But,
no; the cid plainsman, Joe Carroll, had
come within fifty yards of the gulch
when the leap was made, and now, as
he spurs on still faster, we see his right
hand whirling around his head
though too far off to see what the
hands hold, we know what the motion
means-and in another moment. while
yet score Of feet from his mark, he
has thrown the loop Of his lasso around
the imperiled mans body and his horse
lpon its launches at the same time.
The well-trained animal instantly pulls
backward: the tough rawhide line I
-ightens. and Kit Carson lies safe upon /
he sward,
Alas, though, for the poor steed. Be-
ore his master has been fairly drawn
rom his back, he topples over and, with
! shriu cry, more fearful than that of
! human being in its agony falls down
to swift, but happily
'ainless, death.
Then we awoke from orr trance Of
error and ran with might and main
oward the scene. We found our lead
rs each ciasping hand Of the IA
nous scout, and were IN time to hear
i'm say:
I've squeezed through lots Of tighter
laces than this, men. but have new
r before paid such price for EaT life
70 amount OF money could have
empsed me to part with that horse
les saved ny scalp over and oyer again
nd has at last died for me But."
lrning - Us, quick with your rides.
oys. Those red devils are going 10
N for It
steady men, steady" enjoined Kit
arson shoot TO kill e
Vow boys. Z oyv.' prompted the vet 7,
ran fighter as the cloud % ponies g
'raed tail to Us, thereby partially ex- :,
'siEg their riders
Thirty rifles cracked at the word ard
ur mustangs and nfue braves went
'Tn; but before ve cousd reload.
cry dead or wounded Indian was
ugst up between two OF bls g1shEFt
znra-sies and, with deEaou.sczI yelis Of
ere- the whole crowd sI.urriesI 3wzv.
1 hen Tve brought orr wagons down
Tie ravzne, made q te1np,9-zrv bridge z
IN their poles lzske5 ioyet lez end % G
q n pairs AMI quickly recovered HI -
rso1' $ rezpoaS-
aosT was i, Ir. Ga rson?-' asked r
rroii- the resis .esra - have E0s the :
art Of you this timer
Yes quietiy replied tEae renowned s
1neer- Il was fairy SURPRISED fsr s
G. I've bern CT: for so-ne slsvs t-v- 8
8 20 locate an eaSaer rad thrunyfs p
e foothills Having seen 10 Indsaa q
ya' abort these parts. rcsse esrctess- Z
rouisa . SlBG t..+$ sz-4s.ssEz ss.a rzz g
sGss on top c@ asss-s rsa.ssf f1F A rs.sgs.sz q