The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-06-29

nom Pe<hawn came dashing along with
loud jingle Of bells and Kissing Of
steam.
II was a most unfortunate encounter.
OF the whole 10 elephants but two were
unaccustomed to the railway. Sultan
and Naoob. who drew Raffies' gun car
rage. both hated and feared the steam
cars They reared and plunged and
trumpeted shriIly. Then. mad with
terror and deaf to the exhortations and
prodding Of the native mahouts, they
broke out Of line and dashed up a ROCKY
hillside, straight away from the re-
viewing staff and the rest Of the force.
The disaster was instantly observed.
There was no lack Of discipline. The
battery halted, and its commanding off
Ger spurred after the fugitives on horse
back. Then. by special order, a troop
OF cavalry clattered over the plain. The
ambulance corps wisely followed
This is serious. Stratford, " said the
governor general. I'know what mad
elephants are. The brutes will likely
plunge over yonder bluff. j" Peering
through his feldglasses. he added.
There is some one on the carriage be-
side the gunner
The colonel took the glasses with a
trembling hand 1T is BERTHE" he
gasped. and digging the spurs into his
horse be was of like whirlwind.
Meanwhile the huge. panic stricken
elephants had actually gained on their
pursuers as they strobe recklessly up
fha hill ovor ro~t<u trahoo or1 ox-orv-
thing that came in their way. Raffies
realized the danger. He had but one
thought-how to save BERTHE.
The lads first impulse was TO jump.
but Rafiies caught and held him.
You'll break your neck If you try
that. " he cried. Trust to me.
Side by side they chung TO the narrow
seat. Ii was miracle that they were
not pitched of. Finding they could do
nothing with the maddened brutes, both
drivers jumped at the same instant.
} One poor fellow struck head first on a
rock and never moved. The other land
} ed in some bushes, but he was not far
enough out Of the way. He uttered a
, piercing scream as the heavy wheels
rolled over his leg.
BERTHE shivered and chung tighter tc
, his companion. The elephants dashed
on faster than ever Just ahead wa
e the top of the hill. The otner side
5 dropped down at a frightful angle fol
: several hundred feet. 1t sickened Raj
: fes to think of what would harper
when the maddened brutes should reach
: the verge. In vain he shouted to Sui
I tan. He looked back at the pursuing
. horsemen. No hope Of aid there.
y Then Tom remembered that roa'
t led along the brow Of the hill and final
s ly turned down to the River Raw at {
point where the slope was not so pre-
, cipitous. Like fash be formed des
; perate resolve.
Q Hold tight, my lad, " he said. I'm
y going to leave you. 1t it comes to III
e worst, jump off before we go over tn
d bluff. Do you understand
BERTHE nodded. There was grin
10 and plucky expression on his palli
/, face.
j. The next instant an agile spring land
IS ed Raffies on Nabob's back. BY cling
ing to the stout harness he worked b
II way forward. A second spring carrie
d him over the gap between the two elk
s. plants, and he was quickly perched O
ID Sultan's neck.
10 Fortunately, the mahout had left II
prod sticking in the harness. With tn
" Rafies belabored the unruly brute an
III strove to turn him to one side. 4
ii stormed and threatened and called hi
az by name. For a minute Of keen So
rs pense the issue trembled in the balanc
Then, when the dizzy precipice WI
r. only few yards distant, Sultan ohey'
lie the prod and swung to the left into Il
TX road. Raffies waved his hand at BERT
stick tight. lad, D." be shouted.
or But the danger was not yet over, n
a mad the elephants recovered from the
w fright. AS madly as ever they DASH
re along the rough road, at times swingii
perilously near to the outer verge.
" vain Raffies coaxed and threatened al
ist piled the prod
an OF their own accord the brutes TO
rol the turn toward the river and swe
We the heavy gun carriage down the n
at at a frightful speed. BERTHE had all
an could do to keep his seat.
he When the bottom OF the hill W
nv reached. Rafies vainly tried to turn
ort elephants aside. They rushed mad
a forward and clattered out on the pc
he toon bridge which spanned the rive
In midstream the frail structure ga
av- way. and elephants and gun We
fro through with a tremendous splash
rs A plank struck BERTHE on the be
oil with such force as to stun him.
ar. foundered helplessly alongside
vas struggling elephants, who were 81
ON merged to their necks- From Z
ned place Of peril he was rescued by X
a aes. who caught his collar and sw'
md with him for shore. The swift curr'
Ne bore them down some distance, a
rss when Rafies finally landed with
bev precious charge he was well nigh
ped hausted.
A score Of horsemen were quickly
ont the spot-among them Colonel Sr
mr. ford. who bad been a witness OF
rsl whole affair. AS he clasped BERTHE
.cL his arms he looked at Rafies, and {
sv look was a source Of consolation IN
ON gloomy days that followed.