Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-14

fAF bh'hhd vi Nntin Il bdA otattA my ''fa
| do not deny that / cost me an effort
even TO take this urgent step. IL was
no mere presentiment. but palpable
sense OF imminent and impending danger
that possessed me now.
well mates time / was going" I
said. by the way II you want a fifty
OF flour. we can let you have IL. Billie
can come along with me. and I'll slip
1t out to him. No one need know who
gets It. II you're going into the Terri
tory you may find il useful"
Billie jumped az the idea, but the other
two sllenced him. They did not require
IL. they said. In fact. they were nearer
the station than they cared about.
| walked towards my horse. Now, l
think there is no more disagreeable SEN
sation than TO turn your back 10 man
and think that he is meditatlng putting
a bullet into you. You dare not look
around, In case you may preciptate the
action, and you feel a cold. creepy sensa-
ton running down your spine, as II some
one were pouring cold water down your
back. II is q horrible thing to think that
you may be launched into eternity at any
moment, without preparation. My fingers
were twitching nervously as j united the
rens from the tree and prepared 90
mount. The three men had drawn to-
gether; but / could not look at them.
How utterly at their mercy | was thenl
Just as l put my left foot into the stirrup'
there was a sudden movement-an impre-
cation-the ping OF pistol. "Zip"-a
bullet buried itself in the bark Of a tree
close TO my head. and Mcdonnell exclaim-
ed: Curse you, Billie, you've spoiled the
shot,"
/ sprang into the saddle just In time
TO see Billie endeavoring 10 prevent Nc
Donel from firing again. Hold hard. my
hearty cried the latter. To lie well
forward on my horse. and dig my heels
well into his TANKS. was the work OF
second. Like bolt shot from cross
bow. Eclipse sprang forward and dashed
away through the scrub.
Ping! plngl ping-something Ike q red
hot needle being thrust through my left
arm, and a shot that made the blood
spurt from the neck Of my poor horse.
A narrow shave truly 1 was now run
ming some hundred yards from the fence,
and parallel to II.
In another minute ! heard the duh,
quick thud OF a horses hoofs behind me.
Looking back. l saw Mcdonnell, hatless
evil-looking, and with a revolver in his
right hand, tearing after me- mounted
on the horse | had seen tied up in
the camp. / knew now that he meant
TO get up close alongside Of me, so as
10 make sure work Of both me and Eclipse
Oh. IL could only have had
"A weapon OF some sort in my hand TO
have faced that fiendl But strategy
was my only hope. Eclipse was a
jumper. and nothing more. l knew II
was only question OF time till Mcdonnell
was alongside.
II was a mad wild ride. Trees and
I n
a man who has been suatched from the
laws OF death by drowning. | can still
recall distinctly every soul-harrowins.
every complex, pertinent, and trivial
thought that coursed through my
brain just then. / can remember specu-
lating on the theories Of the Greek
philo opher regarding the soul after
death: even wondering II the hands at
the station would find my lfeless body
provided Mcdonnell did not burn II. l
can remember thinking that this neck
or-nothng ride OF mine resembled one |
had read Of In some old German legend.
or Tam o. Shanters by the waters OF
Doom. But the Scottish farmers gray
mare had a good. hard road TO stretch
her limbs on, while poor Eclipse"
had TO Dash and dodge through treach-
erous forest country. i looked once
over my shoulder and saw the ugly
face OF Mcdonnell, with a wicked grin
upon IT, He wa. gaining upon me at
every stride, and there was a deadly
glitter I'm his cold. black eyes-no mercy
, there Another hundred yards. and then
his horse would be close upon mine. Now
for a supreme effort.
Quick as thought I pulled Eclipse over
10 the right, and Mcdonnell shot past with
a curse Now for the fence. bent low,
and shouted to my horse; It was neck or
nothing, life or death. Mcdonnell had
wheeled. and was close upon me- Would
he follow or would he shoot? My heart
wa in my mouth. but Eclipse took the
top rail in that waning light like a bird
and cleared IT, Bravo, Eclipse!
Clatter-c-r-rash,
| looked back McDoneils horse had
jumped foul Of the top rail. and striking
il. pitched wildly, rolling over and over
again with its rider. There was an ex-
plosion Mcdonnell had shot himself with
his own revolver in the fall. and lay like
a bundle Of rags on The ground. When !
picked him up he was stone dead-gOne
to answer for his crimes before a higher
tribunal than any man could arraign him
at.
/ rode 10 the station. and found the
troopers there. Hurrying back. we sur
prised Smythe, who had followed up and
discovered his dead mate. He vas .tco
much stunned and taken aback 10 make
much OF a resistance. and in two minutes
tn, cold cleaning handouts were On his
wrists But Billie had fed the camp,
doubtless apprehensive OF McDonelfs an
ger for his interference on my behalf. /
confess to having been glad or this. Poor
Billet he was meant Cor better things:
he was at least not one OF those IN whom
LII aciiora q fhrl..rrrl