The Red Cloud chief., 1895-11-22
".rIcrc he is. Don't let him &C.

piNsci' anu 40 the TtDOTtS VI tue Hft-
arms rang out with unusual sharpness
on the still night air. darted around
the corner of the building I'm season TO
escape their bullets. The next moment
] was beside my bicycle in the shed.
ut was quite dark inside the build
Ing. but ] managed to get my hand
upon the machine Just as my pursuers
came around the corner of the main
house. | was In decidedly close quar-
ters. but I still believed that. n C in
the saddle OF my silent stced, ! could
bid defiance to my enemy, 80 ignored
their hoarsc cries to surrender.
Then. as I pulled the machine out OF
the she'd and prepared to mount, !
made a discovery that for a moment
dashed my hopes to the earth.
The handle Of my bicycle had been
removed!
You may imagine that ] had no time
for reelection as to the reason of this
condition OF the machine. Shouting
furiously. one to another, the outlaws
were rushing forward to intercept my
flight.
Disabled as It was, ! felt that my BIZ
cycle was my only means OF escape.
and | vaulted into the seat without
stopping to consider what might follow.
The next instant | was wheeling away
for deal life.
In the excitement OF the occasion,
with the shots of my enemies whizzing
about my head. | simply steered for the
sAaI a.,. ~ - 49,. n
could by the action of my feet, without
stopping to think that IL mattered to
me whether | kept on down the road
ahead or returned by the way | had
come.
"'OntO yer bosses an give him chase"
! heard the leader of the gang shout.
Don't let him get away alive!
"Glancing back. I saw three horses
hitched to the rear Of the house, and as
many OF the outlaws rushing toward
Them. hen the clatter of hoofs rang
out with the report OF firearms as |
turned to find myself speeding with
lightning like velocity down the sharp
descent leading on farther than I could
see.
1T was fortunate for me that the
moon rode high in the clear sky, light
Ing my pathway to almost midday bril-
Iancy. for by that time | had begun to
realize that my only danger did not lie
behind me. Under the furious impetus
had given il at the outset. and gaining
greater speed AT every revolution of
the wheels. my bicycle was already be-
You'd my control.
Il no longer paid any heed to my
noisy pursuers, but gave all OF my at
teention to that wild flight Of which |
had barely begun to get q foretaste.
The descent was growing sharper every
moment. and. expecting to be flung
headlOng from MY seat ut any instant,
] was carried on and on. faster ana
faster. until | seemed TO lose my breath.
and | saw only a whir and glitter be-
fore ny eyes.
IL had boosted of swift riding before
that eventful evening, but all paled be-
fore that startling experience. | seemed
TO be flying. | don't know how | kept
my seat, how the machine kept on it's
course. Twice | found myself being
borne around precipltous curves--down
still sharper descents-still on the
whole the course must have been re-
markably straight and smooth. Two or
three times | fancied | saw the out
lines OF a team approaching, when my
heart fairly came into my mouth, but
each time | was happily deceived. Then
there doomed up In the narrow road the
figure Of a horseman, which proved 70
be no illusion of my Imagination.
Fortunately the rider was hugging
the inside of the way, while his animal
was YEARLY climbing the tedious as
cent. sleeper here II possible Than at
any place | had found before. | was
following In the middle of the road. On
my right hand yawned a deep gully.
II have often wondered what that
man thought as | sped past him like n
flash. my leg actually brushing against
his horse, which gave II snort of terror
and barely missed leaping against me.
After that | had n clear course,
though continually descending. unit! 1t
seemed To me 1t was without end. |
felt weak and dizzy and liable to fan
from my seat at any moment. Then a
darkness began to settle over the scene,
lighted at intervals by bars Of silvery
light, across which ] sped like q specter.
| was entering a more heavily timbered
district, and where the gloom hung
deepest over mo ! suddenly found my
self being carried up u sharp ascent.
and knew that the worst of my wild
race was over.
AT the very top Of this long rise.
carried hither by the momentum IL had
previously gained. the bicycle came to
an abrupt stop, | dropped upon the
ground in a swoon. unable 10 bear up
longer.
when | recovered my consciousness
| found that l had barely escaped being
borne down a second descent of more
than a mile In extent. ! was so weak
that | was Obliged TO rest under the
shadow of the forest for half an hour or