Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-10-14

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and the clatter of their horses hoofs
could be distinctly heard.
"Wait till we get to the woods, "
was the firm answer.
"I'll stick be you," Too1er ex-
claimed, "but if you're 80 set, you
know what we kin do"
He drew revolver. A sharp cut of
the whip on the backs of the exhausted
beasts was all the reply that his COM
panion vouchsafed. The woods were
just ahead. Pete looked behind.
"They're on us now," he cried.
"But I'll fix EN-"
He pointed significantly at his pis-
tol.
"Don't, Pete, don't" cried Rudd,
grasping his arm to restrain the in
tended aim-for the fellow was leaning
out of the vehicle.
''But they're right on u.s..
As he spoke call came to them to
give up.
'Let go, you fooll I'll wing 'em. "
"Shoot at the horses, Pete; that'll
stop them. Don't, don't shoot at the
men," Rudd cried. His face was
ashen, and he was trembling with ex-
citement as he leaned over the dash
board, lashing the painting bays. The
woods were close at hand.
There was an ominous click as
Tooker cooked his weapon; q shout of
warning from the men behind re-
port; one of the pursuers' horses
reared wildly. Then Rudd heard the
swapping of wood when the vehicle
crashed into the wounded animal as it
fell upon its knees.
81 done 'em!" yelled Tooker
triumphantly, throwing himself back
in his seat. 'Jest in time. Now cut
them nags an we're safe"
There was a loud report. The reins
fell from the strong hands that held
them, and Bill Rudd sank back grasp
ing his companion with the hand of
his uninjured arm.
They've done me, Pete; I'm shot
bad shot in the back"
"Not just yet" cried the other,
reaching wildly for the flying reins.
Too late. One of the worn-out
animals stumbled, and tangled mass
made up of struggling beasts and
broken buggy lay in the road.
go, Pete" the wounded man cried
feebly. "They amt no use of your
being caught"
But Tooker was gone. He had ex-
tricated himself from the cover of the
vehicle which had crashed forward
over them, and was fast disappearing
into the thick laurels which lined the
road at the entrance to the mountain.
In moment the pursuers Olsen.
numbered their own exhausted ami
mails, one wounded in the shoulder,
made them fast to the fence and hur-
ried to where the stolen horses lay
snorting and struggling, their hind
legs pinned fast in the debris of the
old buggy.
"Too bad, father" cried the young
er of the two, as he busted himself at
the work of freeing the PROSTATE ami
mails, ''that the fellow escaped,
and"
A low moan came to their ears.
"Sam, Sam, you done it !" cried the
old man. "Ther's another under the
buggy top.
Hurriedly they tore aside the cover,
and their eyes fell upon tho form of
the wounded man, who lay face down
ward, cramped in the bottom of the
vehicle. They lifted him gently out
and placed him upon blanket spread
upon the roadside. The injured man
had covered his face with his hands.
The old man seized his wrists and
firmly drew them away.
"Bilr'
''Father !"
The father fell back, pale and trem-
bling.
"Sam, SAM" he cried. "It's Bill
our Bill !"
II didn't know they wuz yours
really /"
The thief's voice failed him, and he
clasped his hands over his face and lay
silent.
"Our Bill q horse thief" the old
man groaned, rocking to and fro in
his grief. He seized his wounded
sons wrists again and dragged the
hands from his face. GLOW could
your
Tho clenched hand opened and o
white paper futtered to the ground.
He saw 1t and seized it.
"Bill-Bill!" he screamed, as he
scanned the address on the soiled,
crumpled envelope, "when did you
get this?"
'Just now-under the buggy sent Z"
The eyes closed and the wounded
man sank back into welcome uncon-
seriousness. But his fathers arms were
around him and his brothers hands
were deftly binding the injured
shoulder and stanching the flow of
blood.
Two mongrel dogs scurried around
the old brick farm house. They dashed
across the yard and gained the road
through q hole in the fence. At the
summit of the hill, commanding q