The morning times., 1896-08-09
: EsESSIsS$ES
linIMIIliIIlI I[llIll IlIlllllllllllI
,nloaded to be fed in the lncIosure.

"Give me horse and saddle,' he cried,
as he ran up. '"F'll heip." Z;
The man in the Or pointed to the pile
of saddles, Take eafy horse, 'he said.
In three minutes, mounted on the big
gest horse left, witRsspurs on his heels, a
larIat scpiied on thd horn of the saddle
and his pipe still III his mouth, he WIS
speeding down the street aftersthe otber
two to the village gfcen, where the steer
had taken a stand All the exbilaratien
OF his exciting life oil the range filled hiin
as he felt the inoveinentss OF the trained
animal under him Once more he was a
yacquero. AS he rikared the green. he
saw a cowboy go sarth FROM the furious
onslaught of the stesf, and that the other,
whiriing his lariat, Twas about to throw.
Rope his horns!n he yelled, as he ap-
proacned. ~Pll-set MS feet!" - 7s.ir. +
%Ax though in answer the whiriing loop
shot out, appeared TO hover midway, then
finished sthe distance and at fnil length OF
the Iariat settled over the broad horns OF
the infuriated seeers and he was 1erkcd
tight by the cowboy. The pony beneath MIN
lne W what was expected. Planting his fore
feet firIpIy. he settled back, and the. lariat,
wound around the saddle horn, dghtened.
hurDaaed nd broke. as the steer.;iRRpsiag
his nearest foe, charged toward jim. No
horse'0n earth but a trained COW pony can
avoid such u charge, aad no rider ON earth
but a trained cowboy can stay on his back
while.he is doing it But Jim, whQ-eould
ride down and furi a thrashing gafftopsail
in a,Eale, and also had met some very &c
tive bronchOs in the West, was as quick
motioned as the horse he rode, and they
promptly disappeared from the maddened
brute's range OF vision, bringing up in his
rear.
THE WILD BEAST.
Crazed by the yelping dogs swapping at
his heels, the steer plunged on into the
street, around the corner, and out the coun-
try road W hich the picnic party had taken in
the morning, with Jim in pursuit, behind
him the cowboy, who had delayed to bor-
row his fallen comrades lariat, and behind
him the population, with sticks and stones.
In the cloud OF dust raised by the steer
danced the frayed end OF the broken lar
lat. As jim drew near he sank down to
the left, gripping the saddle Gith right
hand and knee. and seized this end.
not difficult feat, even at full speed,
for cowboy
Swinging back TO his seat, while an en-
couraging shout came from the cowboy,
he wound IL around the saddle horn and
reiDed I'm his horse, slowly at first, then
TO fuil-stop-~ TIE rotten lariat snapped.
and the steer, hardly checked In lbs rushed
numbered on. He cleared AWAY his own
lariat and spurred after. Thej-last en-
thusiastic dog had now given up the enjoy
able race and started home each one paus-
Ing at intervals TO look back Il the retreat
Ing cloud cloud of dust and voice his opinion
of steers. jim had clearer field. Closer
and closer he drew, with The lariat swing
ing over his head until the wide horns were
but twenty feet away, and then let 60
The loop went true, though IT took all his
strength To send III far ahead from horse .
back at the three-mDute gait he was go
ing.
Again he took a turn on the horn of
the saddle and checked his horse This
time, though. the. lariat did NOT break.
The cinch. or girth or the saddle, did. and
Jim. saddle and all. went over the horses
head. He picked himself up uDhurt and
catching the horse, mounted bareback and
resumed pursuit, not knowing now. ex-
actiy, what he could do unless he could get
ahead and turn him. doubtful feat with
n mad steer In consideration. The cowboy
was yet bund-ed yards behind.
They had passed the scattered houses
ringing the village aud We're in the open
country afiren&.s from some land dispute
or mistake III AarysyiDg. the road uar-
rowed TO *idtht OF six feet, turned
sharply TO the left and shen stretched on
in the original direct:ei,. AS no teams
passed through, grass had grown. and at
the bend OF the road Fyhere this grass
was thickest, little cbiidren We're playing
: IN tte sDd lie VI NtfEaussitiS ilces tuIOueu
which the Mortified Jim ttaw bright. SHIFT
ing flecks Of colo1. thf 5picuic party re
tufuiig
At toe rate they wsEetng steer, horse
aud rider. children. @nd5Iienickers would
soon he strugg.isrs terrible death
scramble in that narsewsbole. he shouted
with all the. power OF bis longs, but the
not respond. aud tfeHl1ergrowth hid him
from the others. M rhupght OF Minnie,
managed b those hefhs, aud c!oven Eoofs,
and in an ecstacy.1fShorror and despera-
ton, 10 werei his head.to the horses neck
and wheeled the long spurs up aud down
the already lacerated sides. The little
animal sped on as though Misunderstood the
danger and would forestall 1t.
A TRICK.
But 1t became apparent to Jim that be
could not head the steer in time. Then
there flashed into bis mind a trick OF
horsemansbip once described TO him by a
Mexican, REQUIRING skill and strength and
uuickpess which he doubted his powers
to accomplish: but it was the last resort.
Squirting the painting horse for final
effort, he ranged up on the flank OF
the steer and seized the bushy end or
the waving tail in his hight hand.
Quickly passing it over and Under his
right leg, he ciutched 1t tightly from be-
hind as he forged ahead, and firmly gripped
tho withers OF the horse with his left and.
The tension dragged him back and his
right spur was buried in the tender
flank of the horse, who, tortured by the
pain, made mighty spring to the left, ana
Jim felt that he was being torn apart.
But he held both grips with allhis strength,
and the trick succeeded. He actually lifted
the; hind quarters Of the steer Sideways
from the ground, who the ne ct nonent was
rolling over in the dirt, and Jim checked
his horse almost on top OF the screaming
children, between them and the steer, Just
as the picnic party appeared in the bend.
There was not foot or half second to
spare.
and frothy mouth. Then Jim gave the
ringing whoop Of the cowboys, the weird
half bark, half whine OF the gray mountain
wolf, which. strikes wild terror In bovine
hearts and stampedes the best beliaved
of herds, and away went the stear toward
the town, with Jim at his heels.iThe cow
boy wheeled his horse to oae siue. and
skilfully lassooed his feet as he passed.
Then, with Jim's help, he threw and tied
him fast to cool down under his own re-
Election and regrets. Never since he was
born, even at his early branding, had he
been treated so harshly.
The villagers from one direction and
the picpickers from the other, came up
and listened to the enthusiastic cowboy.
There's only one man in the Territory
kin do that trick, pard,' he said to Jim,
''old 'Pacbe Pedro"
-"He taught me-" jim ans wered quietly,
and rode in.
MINNIE.
He had not looked at Minnie, who wis.cd