Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-10-12

the saddle and throw up his rife. A
puff of smoke, a report, almost inaudi-
BILE 10 us, and the foremost warrior,
who had come within n hundred and
fifty yards Of his hoped-for prey, reeled
in his seat and pitched headlong TO the
earth, his trained pony remaining mo-
tionless by the dead body.
Never checking the easy lope Of his
horse the white man reloaded with in
credible speed, turned once more and
brought down another OF his pursuers,
while the scattering volley fred at him
In return proved harmless.
Our mounted comrades had by this
time nearly reached the gulch. Sud-
denly one Of them, Joe Carroll, turned
back and, Ralloping toward us,
shouted
ats Kit Carson, boysl And sure as
you live he's letting his horse gather
himself for an attempt TO leap the gully
in one particular spot where it's only
twenty feet wide. Hurry along like
lightning, so as to get within shot of
the reds II they're fools enough to fol-
low him to the edge"
Loud cheers greeted this startling
revelation, and every man of us ran as
II 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-side
of the gulch, and the guide was hurry
ing back TO join him; but we, now that
the crisis had come, were SO fascinated
by the sight Of Carson's sublime daring
that we involuntarily came to n full
stop, breathlessly awaiting the result
On, with short, springy bounds,
came the black stallion, and Ross, as
he afterward told us, was close enough
10 mark how his mighty muscles seemed
TO bunch and gather into hardened
knots as he caught sight of the awful
leap before him
Calmly resolutc, his unblinking gaze
fixed upon the spot selected for his des-
perate venture. sat the rider With
frightened rein, he holds the noble horse
to his course until within fifty feet Of
the ravine's sharp brink then gives
him n free head and, for the first time,
lets the cruel Mexican spurs touch his
glossy TANKS, while from his own lips
rings out defiant cry Of triumph, as
II victory were 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 a 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 ana reached the OPP
| 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 precarious hold. lie and his
rider must fall backward into the ter
rible abyss. Tom Ross sits in his sad
die not twenty feet away, paralyzed by
| L.. II 10 Nai
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 old plainsman, Joe Carroll, hat
come within fifty yards Of the gulcl
when the leap was made, and now, a
he spurs on still faster, we see his right
hand whirling around his head
though too far off to see what thu
hands hold, we know what the motion
means-and in another moment, Will,
yet score of feet from his mark, h,
has thrown the loop Of his lasso aroun'
the imperiled mans body and his hors,
upon its launches at the same time
The well-trained animal instantly pull
backward; the tough rawhidc lin,
tightcns, and Kit Carson lies safe upoi
the swardl
Alas, though, for the poor steed! he
fore his master has been fairly draw
from his back, he topples over and, will
shrill cry, more fearful than that o
a human being in It's agony, falls dow
-down-down to swift, but happil
painless, death.
Then we awokc from our trance O
terror and ran with might and mai
toward the scene, We found our lead
ers each clasping hand of tho IA
} nous scout, and were in time to hea
, him say;
1--WE squeezed through lots OF tighte
| places than this, men, but have nev
err before paid such price for my lii,
, No amount of money could hav
, tempted me TO part with that hors,
! He's saved my scalp over and over agai
and has at last died for me. But,
turning TO us, quick with your ride,
a boysl Those red devils are going
I run for it."
Y STEADY men, steady" enjoined X
I. Carson. "Shoot TO kill"
Now boys, nowr' prompted the We
Gran fighter, us the cloud of poni'
turned tail TO us, thereby partially c.
posing the r riders.
, Thirty rifles cracked at the word, ar
four mustangs and nine braves wei