The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-12

| r
zen tumult, but broke into SLOW rum
heads down and tails in air. Within ten
seconds the whole multitude of cattle
went crazy, as il with desire to mass
with the leading herd.
| The leaders seemed equally DESTROYS
to maintain their distance. They ran
.aster. they galloped, but they were
massed and could not go at the toy
speed of the fastest among them.
The quicker gallopers in the groups
that formed the sides of the funnel
could set their own pace and force that
Of their companions. So the groups
strung out; they soon became two con-
lnuous but narrow columns on our
TANKS, and these long columns were in
cessantly widened and solicited by the
| I'M ushing of thanking cattle that made
short cuts to reach the stampedin&
throng.
We've got to get through quickly OF
| they'll be on top of us, cried Del, look
ing at me with great alarm.
Well get through-theyre not clos
ing the gap" | shouted, for we had to
shout if we would be heard above the
dull, strange din.
They are!" he roared. THE Cattle
in front are not running as fast as those
leading the sides. Don't you see the
sides slowly closing in?"
If it had been possible for US to stop
them we should have rejoiced to do so.
But masses OF cattle behind us were
galloping furiously-a dark, believing
array under the cloud of their own
| dust. We dared not risk stop; we
could not turn aside; our only chance
of escape seemed to lie in outrunning
the TANKS of the cattle impi, and so es-
Gaping by the front.
We had good hope to get through,
and pretty easily, though the course OF
the leading thanking cattle seemed to
slant more than ever across our line,
and the front herd, perhaps because
they instinctively wished the others tc
mass with them, seemed to slightly
slacken their speed.
AS we hurried toward the narrowing
gap we came ever nearer to the tlrun-
dering beasts of the side columns. We
were 81 near lllelH tHut llle uedteui
nameless smell of their galloping bodies,
their breath, the very fumes of their hot
blood seemed enveloping us in smoky
air, which became thick and binding
as light, transient wind blew from the
foothills, and bore around us the fine
dust from frantic hoofs.
Take more ground" screamed Del,
spread out We must keep further
apart. They'll keep back. maybe. Try
it. It's our last chance"
"No-let US stop-let us turn and run
back. There may be an opening be-
hind us in spite of appearances"
There's not" roared Del. 81 looked
behind before the dust closed in. Don't
you hear the rush back there? | saw
a perfect horde right behind us-a reg
ular line. Cattle have run in from the
plain and caught up to the rear line,
Take more ground. tell you'll"
was so close to the galloping column
on my right that could see the beasts
eyes. They had not gwen way as
came nearer, but still did not seem in
clined to crowd me. have since
thought that they did not see us at all
after the stampede began. but rushed
blindly on with the impulse to mass.
Well, | knew that those directly be-
hind US were pouring on in frenzy
that would, did we fall, carry them over
US as in perfect Inconsistencies that
they trampled anything living.
| felt my strength failing fast. 1t
seemed that the course was carrying us
up slope. But now we were so closed
in that the dust was quite binding,
could no longer see Del. yelled 20
him. but heard no reply. With hor-
rible covering realization of what
formless mass he must be now, if he
were down among the hoofs. pushed
my pedals desperately.
Right ahead of me the dark places
that denoted cattle intermingled with
the dust seemed still unjoined. The ga
was not yet closed. believed. and drove
for it. Could but get through and a
little more than through might
swerve off against the breeze, pass
round the front OF the furious, wedge
like LluSo, anu IiC "AuCJ
ends.
More choking, more acrid, more evil
smelling, more binding the hdeous
dust enveloped me. was close on the
leaders now. | was so close that
could dimly see the gaunt, ridgy backs,
the muscular hind parts, the crazy tails
these cattle, tried by drought and
lean with much wandering for water,
were in condition to run far-even in
my despair, noted that.
In condition to rum They seemed in
condition to leap as if for fun while run
ming! Up-they sprang by ranks-how
strange! All, understood!
But Understood too late. The earth
crack which they had leaped was deep;
my wheel seemed to go from under me;
Just then | heard what sounded like
rapid revolver firing; and down, down 1
fell.
When my eyes opened | saw swarthy
face close to mine. A peon from the
Rancho del Paso was holding little tin
of wine to my lips. Others stood about.
And Del-could it be possible? They
had lifted me tenderly out of the earth
crack, and now told me how Del and l
had been saved.
He had fallen into a crack too hut