The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-01-31

-~--+ "a q DlA-a S-1 SA-s " A~--s-~
and come back on the other side q
little lower down, but not g stones
throw away. Bowling out of the first
of these bends, we scanned the road
above and behind. Suddenly our ears
caughta sound that set our hearts beat
ing to its own time.
"Plttyp pat, pity pat, quick and sharp
on the still air it came. There was no
mistaking that sound, and as We whirl-
ed around the point we saw two horse
men dash over the brow of the hill.
/ At sight Of them Dick fairly bound
ed ahead. I hung on his flank and
shouted in his ear to steady up. I
might as well have called to the rocks,
for the reckless scamp threw his weight
into every stroke until We flashed along
the mountain side at a rate that was
madness itself with the weight We we're
carrying. Our mounts we're the light
est roadsters and I expected every min
ute to see a wheel collapse.
Come onI Come on" Dick shouted
without turning his head, and it took
my breath away to see him hug the
bank and whiz around those dizzy
heights. More than once thought he
was gone, only to see him riding faster
than ever when I swept around the
turn myself. But, fast as we we're 60
ing, our pursuers gained upon US, and
the clatter Of hoofs came palmer to our
ears each time we caught it. Nearer
and nearer they came until, on round
ing a bend, we saw them dash past the
the next one behind.
A yell and couple Of pistol shots
rang along the hillside, and We heard
the bullets whistle over our heads.
! We were we'll down the mountain now,
but mile ahead was the "DeviIs Ell
! bow" where the road almost parslleled
itself for half a mile to get across a
canyon 30 yards in width. l shuddered
as we rushed headlong down toward it.
They were sure to head us off at the
angle, and it would be next to a miracle
if we escaped their bullets at that range
AS we neared the point I shout ed to
Dick to jump off and take to the brush,
but he was too far ahead to understand
"Come on! We're all right" he yelled
back, sprinting ahead all the faster, and
l felt the blood leave my face as I saw
what the msdcap meant. An old min
ing ditch ran along the side of the road
at this point, and instead of following
it around this bend, was carried across
the mouth of the canyon by high
trestled fume. The top of the fume
was pIanked over, and the path at either
end showed that it was much used as q
footbridge.
l shouted myself hoarse, but could
not stop him. Like fash he steered
down the path and went flying over the
abyss on a track scarcely wider than
the length of his handle bars. I should
never have dared to follow had not-a
rush of hoofs and wild yells close be-
| hind warned me that it was but the
least of two evils.
"Come on" shouted Dick as he went
out of sight on the other side, and then
1 felt myself sailing off into space, with
the narrow planks Creaking and trem-
bling under me.
Bang BaHgl Bang Bullets whistled
past me on all sides. I felt something
like a club hit me in the small of the
back, and a spoke twanged unsteady,
but with quaver as is of pain, that
went through both wheel and rider.
How 1 got across I hardly knew, but
felt faint and limp enough when 1
struck the bank on the other side at
last. Dick had Stacked up to see that
that I pulled through all right and let
out out a yell of defiance when I joined
him round the bend. With three level
miles ahead and the start we had gained,
we knew there was little to fear.
Ten minutes later we whirled up to
the express Office and astonished the
agent not a little by dumping those gold
bricks out of our oreelson his counter.
The highwaymen had pinned their faith
on bronchO endurance and the Devils
Elbow" but our good wheels and Dicks
reckless daring lost them the race and
won US the hearty thanks of the Grab
Stake company. together with enough
bright double eagles to buy new mounts
when we should need them.
The superintendent had the bullet
which we found fiattened against the
bricks In my creel handsomely mount
ed in gold, and it now hangs in our den
s souvenir of that wild night ride
Mary B. Gibson, in Bearings.