The record-union., 1896-02-01

presence, ana the Sraceful 1rOndS OF
palms, with their lace-like tracery, be-
came darkly and sharply silhouetted
against the gray sky.
1t was a strange and significant fancy
that struck me just then, that some of
their dropping leaves should resemble
the nodding plumes oil a hearse. 1t is
strange, but true, that in positions Of
the most imminent danger the most
trivial details will impress themselves
on ones mind. But it was necessary
that l should have daylight to leap back
over the fence again, so l rose from the
ground on which l had seated myself. l
dc not deny that it cost me an effort to
take this urgent step. 1t was no mere
presentiment, but a palpable sense of
imminent and impending danger that
possessed me now.
well, mates, time l was going"
said. by the way, if you want fifty
of flour, we can let you have it. Billie
can come along with me- and I'll slip it
out to him. No one need know who
gets it. If you're going into the Terri
tory, you may find it useful"
Billie jumped at the idea, but the
other two silenced him. They did not
require it, they said. In fact, they were
nearer the station than they cared for.
l walked toward my horse. Now, /
think there is no more disagreeable SEN
sation than TO turn your back to a man
and think that he is meditating put
ting bullet through you. You dare not
look around, in case you may precipi-
tate the action and you feel a cold
creepy sensation running down your
spine, as if some one were pouring cold
water down your back. 1t is a horri-
BILE thing to think that you may be
launched into eternity at any moment
without preparation. My fingers were
twitching nervously as 1 united the
reinS from the tree and prepared to
mount. The three men had drawn to-
gether, but l could not look at them.
How utterly at their mercy I was thenf
just as l put my left foot into the stir
rup, there was a sudden movement
an imprecation-the ping" of a pistol.
"Zip!"-a bullet buried itself in the
bark of a tree close to my head, and
Mcdonnell exclaimed, Curse you, Billie,
you've spoiled the shotl"
/ sprang into the saddle just in time
to see Billie endeavoring to prevent
Mcdowell from firing again. Hold
hard, my hearty!" cried the latter To
lie we'll forward on my horse, and dig
my heels into his flanks, was the work
of a second. Like a bolt shot from q
crossbow, Eclipse" sprang forward and
dashed away through the scrub.
Ping! Ping! Ping! something like a
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 l was now running
some hundred yards from the fence and
parallel to it.
In another minute I heard the dull.
quick thud of a horses hoofs behind
me. Looking back, 1 saw Mcdonnell,
hatless, evil-looking, and with a re-
volver in his right hand, tearing after
me, mounted on the horse I had seen
tied up in the camp. / knew now that
he meant to get up cIose alongside of
both me and Eclipse"
Oh if l could only have had a weap-
on of some sort in my hand to have
faced that ffendl But strategy was my
only hope. Eclipse" was a jumper
and nothing more. / knew it was only
a question of time till Mcdonnell was
II was d iiidCA, Win Ilue+ Trees ana
bushes flew past at express speed Like
a man who has been snatched from the
jaws Of death by drowning, I can still
recall distinctly every soul narrowing.
every complex, pertinent, and trivial
thought that coursed through my brain
just then. can remember speculating
on the theories of the Greek philoso-
pher regarding the soul after DEATH
even wondering if the hands at the sta
ton would find my lifeless body, |
provided Mcdonnell did not burn it. !
ean remember thinking that this neck
or-nothing ride of mine resembled one
[ had read of in some old German le-
yend, or Tam O'Shanter's by theSwaters
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 treacherous forest country. I |
looked once over my shoulder, and saw
the ugly face of Mcdonnell with a wicked /
grin upon it. He was gaining upon me
1t every stride, and there was a deadly /
glitter in 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 ] pulled Eclipse" /
over to the right, and Mcdonnell shot /
past with a curse Now for the fence. I
bent low, and shouted to my horse: it /
vas neck or nothing, life or death. Nc /
Donell had wheeled and was close upon +
me. Would he follow, or would he /
shoot? My heart was in my mouth, but
Eclipse" took the top rail in that wan
ng light like a bird-and cleared it.
Bravo. "Elipsei"
Clatter-c-r-rashi
I looked back. McDonell's horse had /
Jumped foul of the top rail, and, strik-
ng it, pitched wildly, rolling over and
over again with its rider. There was
IN explosion. Mcdonnell had shot him
self 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
my man could arraign him at.
rode back TO the station and found
he troopers there. Hurrying back, we
surprised Smythe, who had followed up
md discovered his dead mate. He was
toe much stunned and taken off his
guard to make much of a resistance,
and in two minutes the cold, cleaning