The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-05-25
CAPTURED BICYCLE.

Percy. Terrell began to realize the fool
ishness of his act in sallying forth all by
himself.
The desert stretched on every hand
until 1t was lost in the vast distance.
The CRASHES, treeless hills seemed to
heave to and fro under the hot sun like
billOws-a strange, spectral landscape
The previous morning Percy had start
ed out on his wheel from The Needles,
town near the California and Arizona
line, intending to make the run to Bar
baxon.in the desert, instead of waiting to
take passage on the weekly stage. The
distance was considerable, but he felt he
ought to have no trouble in making it on
his safety.
He had first fancied crossing thedesert
on o bicycle, and not all the discussions
Of his friends at The Needles had been
sufficient to induce him to abandon the
ideas He wished now he had paid some
heed to what had been told him.
He had dismounted for rest and was
sitting ON gravelly hillock. He I'M
slung his water bottle and took short
pull at it. The water, was warm and dis
agreeable, and worst of all it was alarm
ingly low, and he had no knowledge Of
how soon he might get more. He had
missed the only spring in that section,
and for all he knew there might not be
another on the entire Barbazon route.
His progress had been slower than he
had anticipated. The sand was SO deep
IN places that wheeling was out of the
question; 80 far. the work had been ex-
Gpmely fatiguing instead Of being an ex-
hilarating exercise.
Soon he remounted and again set out
In the direction indicated as the right one
by the little pocket compass he had been
thoughtful enough to take. He. would
have felt better if there had been any
way to determine the distance yet to be
traversed. He hoped he would not be
forced to make another night camp in the
desert.
As he set the wheels in motion he heard
. singular clucking sound. Turning half
around In the saddle, he saw three In
dams rise from behind a low mound and
come running toward him.
The sight almost took away Percy's
breath. Although he knew at glance
they were Yumas and had been told that
the Yumas were peaceably disposed,
there was something in their bearing
that filled him with fear. He felt even
moro nervous when he saw two others
rise from another mound short distance
ahead and place themselves in a position
90 intercept him.
He could not doubt that they had
stolen on him while he rested and were
nav trying to hem in and capture him.
Why they should desire to do this he
could not guess, but their actions did not
lonk friendly.
The wheeling was fairly good at that
gcant, and Percy sent the bicycle for
Mmd at round gait and hoped he would
S1ds or dash by the two Indians in
kScut. As the bicycle obediently leaped
1hcAd under the strong propulsion he
b15En to feel sure he could do it.
10 swerved to the right as he neared
aatatWo Indians. and when they rushed in
dbxA direction, too, he gave quick turn
and sent the safety spinning away on a
n1w tack. Meanwhile the three in the
rear were hurrying up with all their
might and yelling in manner to dis
: CONCERT the bravest, and the two in front
p(iW added their wild cries to the hideous
S46rus.
"Yell away there, you red scoundrelsl'
Percy shouted as with o squirt hs sped
By, beginning to feel he would make an
easy escape. "Yell away there and
cakch me If you can"
10 had seen that none Of them had
firearms, carrying only long lances o.
haSd wood and tipped with iron.
But he had boasted too soon. TIL,
Nqma nesrest lifted his lance and hurled
kHkcugh the air with marvellous forc'
S4n skill. Percy glimpsed it shooting
61fSrd him, and with cry of fear ben
6yn to escape it.
The weapon had not been hurled a
tsim, however. The willy Yuma hat
adDned st the forward spinning wheel o
II s&1ety. The blade Of the lane
Ased between the spokes and down
Mstd into the sand, where 1t stood i'm
&ded, the shaft between the spokes
Ono 81 thu spokes had been broken an,
an1erN others bent, and Percy had bee
eS6hsd headlong over the wheel into tn
0and.
Before he could rise the Indians hand
held him in vicelike grip.
Pleased gTins rested on the ugly face
ct the Yumas as they gathered aroun
their captive and glanced from him t
chs injured bicycle.
"What do you want with meY' Perc
demanded, struggling to sitting poi
kurs and making show of bravery
"Why did you wreck my safety tina
wsya I'll have you punished for It,"
Tho Indians chuckled with delight O
his anger.
.Want to see um iron pony" one q
them condescended to explain. 'Inju
want to ride UNI iron pony! Injun wan
nm iron ponyl Savvy? Um iron pom
no eat, no drink, no git tired, no q
slespy. Make bully pony for pore Ir
jun"
Light dawned on Percy. These Yuma
wanted the bicycle for their own uss
Perhaps they had seen him wheelin
around The Needles on it. If so, the
prcbably had logged him all the way.
His spirit rose. He vowed he woul
thwart them. He saw that, though SON
"a the spokes were ruined, the wheel We
still strong enough to do good service.
He got up and stepped nearer, as II
inspect the damaged. wheel. A heav
~ - L. c1.N md ho NJ