The Bossier banner., 1893-10-12

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 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 We're still over three hundred
yards from the to us invisible ra-
vine, when Kit Carson twisted about,
fired again with unerring aim, and
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 chasfti,
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 fascinated
by the sight of Carson's sublime daring
that we involuntarily came to full
stop, breathlessly awaiting the result.
On, with short, spfihGy bounds,
came the black stallion, and Ross, as
he afterward told us, was close enough
tomark how his mighty muscles seemed
to bunch and gather into hardened
knots as he caught sight of the awful
leap before him.
Calmly fesolute, 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 free head and, for the first time,
lets The cruel Mexican spurs touch his
glossy flanks, while from his own lips
rings out defiant cry of triumph, as
if victory were already assured.
Shortening yet more his stride and
rouching 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 and reached the op-
posite bank. All, no! Something is
wrong. From where we stand we can
see the head and shoulders of rider and
horsei 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 ''tal5c 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. He and his
rider must fall backward into the ter
rible abyss. Tom Ross sits in his sad
die not twenty feet away, para1yzed 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 old 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
upon its launches at the same time.
The well-trained animal instantly pulls
backward; the tough rawhide line
tightens, and Kit Carson lies safe upon
the sward!
Alas, though, for the poor steedl Be-
fore his master has been fairly drawn
from his back, he topples over and, with
shrill cry, more fearful than that OF
human being in its agony, falls down
-down-down to d swift, but happily
painless, death.
Then we awoke from our trance Of
terror and ran with might and main
toward the scene. We found our lead
ers each clasping hand of the fa-
nous scout, and were in time to hear
him say:
I've squeezed through lots of tighter
places than this, men, but have nev-
er before paid such price for my life.
No amount of money could have
tempted me to part with that horse.
He's saved my scalp over and over again
and has at last died for me- But, :"
turning to us, ''quick with your rifles,
boys! Those red devils are going tc
run for it,
Glancing toward the baffied Apaches
we saw that they had not advanced ar
inch since c arson's leap, but had con
verged SO as to form one body, anc
were evidently preparing to retreat
Before turning, however, each warrior
crouched low on the side of his pony
| and the whole band delivered a mixed
volley of arrows and bullets
Ten of the former fell among US, anG
the latter, being fred from old flint
lock, smooth bore buffalo guns, did NJ
execution.
STEADY men, steady" enjoined Ki
Carson. ''Shoot to kill
At that time. repeating rifles had not
come into general use, but we all car
4