Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1895-12-25


! bicycle. and as the reports of the fire
arms rang out with unusual sharpness
on the still night air, | darted around
the corner Of the building in season to
escape their bullets. The next moment
l was beside my bicycle in the shed.
1T 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-
tiers, but I still believed that, once in
the saddle of my silent steed, could
bid defiance to my enemy, SO | ignored
their hoarse cries 70 surrender.
Then, as pulled the machine out OF
the shed and prepared to mount, I
made a discovery that for moment
dashed my hopes to the earth
The handle of my bicycle had been
removed,
You may imagine that had no time
for reflection as 10 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 l vaulted into the seat without
stopping TO consider what might follow.
The next instant l was wheeling away
for dear life.
In the excitement of the occasion,
with the shots of my enemies whizzing
about my head, l simply steered for the
road, guiding the machine as best
could by the action of my feet, without
stopping to think that it mattered to
me whether / kept on down the road
ahead or returned by the way l had
come.
Onto yer bosses an give him chase"
I heard the leader of the gang shout.
Don't let him get away alive"
Balancing back l saw three horses
hitched to the rear Of the house, and as
many Of the outlaws rushing toward
them. Then the CHATTER of hoofs rang
out with the report OF firearms as
turned to find myself speeding with
lightning-lke velocity down the sharp
descent leading Oh farther than | could
sec.
, 1T was fortunate for me that the
ing my pathway to almost midday brill
, lancy, for BY that time | had begun to
realize that my only danger did not lie
, behind me. Under the furious impetus
l had given it at the outset, and gaining
greater speed at every revolution OF
the wheels. my bicycle was already be-
7 yond 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
8 had barely begun to get a foretaste
, The descent was growing sharper every
o moment, and, expecting to be flung
T headlong from my seat at any instant
i l was carried on and on. faster and
o faster until seemed to lose my breath
= and l saw only whir and glitter be
r fore my eyes.
o Il had boosted OF swift riding before
= that eventful evening. but all paled be
fore that startling experience. | seemed
/, to be flying: l don't know how l KEEP
0 my seat, how the machine kept on it:
G course. Twice found myself beinf
= borne around precipitous curves-dowl
still sharper descents-still on thu
whole the course must have been re
markably straight and smooth. Two OF
three times l fancied l saw the out
lines OF a team approaching. when m!
heart fairly came into my mouth, bu
each time was happily deceived. Ther
there doomed up in the narrow road thu
figure OF a horseman. which proven I
be no illusion of my Imagination.
fortunately the rider was huggins
the inside OF the way, while his ANNA
! was YEARLY climbing the tedious as
= cent, sleeper here If possible than a
. any place l had found before. l wa
/: following in the middle of the road o.
: my right hand yawned deep gully.
II have often wondered what tina
man thought as l sped past him like
fash, my leg actually brushing agains
his horse. which gave snort of terro
and barely missed leaping against me
After that l had a clear course
though continually descending, until
st seemed to me it was without end.
d felt weak and dizzy and liable to fal
ID from my seat at any moment. Then
& darkness began to settle over the scene
ID lighted at intervals by bars of silver
L.,
d l was entering q more heavily timbere
y district, and where the gloom hun
e. deepest over me / suddenly found my
h self being carried up sharp ascen
" and l knew that the worst Of my viii
Id race was over.
is AT the very top Of this long ris'
c. carried hither by the momentum it ha
l previously gained. the bicycle came
r an abrupt stop. l dropped upon til
as ground in a swoon. unable to bear u
longer.
M when recovered my consciousness
ce found that had barely escaped bein
~ borne down a second descent of MOI
no than mile in extent. l was so wea
as that l was obliged to rest under tn
n shadow of the forest for half an hour c