Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-12-12

S>sAA -
in front are not running as fast as those
leading the sides. Don't you see the
sides slowly closing in?''
1t was true. The gap was narrowing
visibly. We put on all our speed. AS
the plain sloped slightly toward the
next rise our pace was terrific. We
were outrunning the cattle. We were
gaining on front and sides. But a great
fear that our speed was not enough to
carry us through the gap lay cold at my
heart.
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 flanking cattle seemed to
slant more than ever across our line,
and the front herd, perhaps because
they instinctively wished the others to
mass with them, seemed to slightly
slacken their speed.
AS we hurried toward the narrowing
gap we came ever nearer to the thun-
dering beasts of the side columns We
were SO near them that the heated,
nameless smell of their galloping bodies
their breath, the very fumes of their hot
blood seemed enveloping us in a smoky
air, which became thick and binding
as a 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 rur
back. There may be an opening be-
hind us in spite of appearances"
There's not" roared Del. II looked
behind before the dust closed in. Don't
you hear the rush back there? I 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, l tell you'll"
AS he veered off SO did I. We rode
then about so feet apart, at pace which
must soon use up our strength. But
there was no choice. To get through
we must work with all our might, for
the gap was now quite narrow.
Twas oclose to the galloping column
on my right that could see the beasts
eyes. They had not given way as l
came nearer, but still did not seem in
clined to crowd me. l 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, I knew that those directly be-
hind us were pouring on in a 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, l
could no longer see Del. yelled to
him, but heard no reply. With hor-
rible covering realization of what a
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 gap
was not yet closed, / believed, and drove
for it. Could but get through and a
little more than through might
swerye off against the breeze, pass
round the front Of the furious, wedge
like mass, and escape the wide, fanking
ends.
More choking, more acrid, more evil.
smelling, more binding the hideous
dust enveloped me. was close on the
leaders now. I was so close that l
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-eyen in
my despair, ! noted that.
In condition to run! They seemed in
to leap as if for fun while rum
ming: Up--they sprang by ranks-how
strangel All, understood!
But I understood too late. The earth
crack which they had leaped was deep;
my wheel seemed to go from under me;
just then I heard what sounded like
rapid revolver firing; and down, down
fell. f'
When my eyes opened i saw aswarthy
face close to mine. 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
had been saved.
He had fallen into crack, too, but
lad escaped with fewer hurts than /.
AS for the poems, they had ridden from
the Rancho del Paso in an attempt to
stop the stampede, and the sound of
their shooting into the leaders was that
which / had heard at the moment of
my fall.
We were at the Rancho del Paso four
days before I was fit to travel; and
when next we crossed that dreary
stretch OF plain it was with a wagon
train. Del and / had learned to appre-
ciate the dangers of bicycling among
range cattle, and the value of a con-
siderable acquaintance with the Mexi-
can vernacular. When next we heard a
peon warn us to avoid Plaza de 1oros we
knew that he meant something more
dangerous than the bull fight circus
ground. Youths Companion.
Glad OF tho Improvement. 4
The indignant father ragged and
stOrmed over the dinner table. Little
Mable had cried out that she didn't like
the meat. why, you ought to give
thanks" cried the outraged pater.
''svhen I was q boy delighted in crusts
and never used sugar" The little one
thought q moment. How thank full you
must be that you are now living with
mamma and mel" she lisped. Phila-