The morning times., 1896-11-22
FICTION, VERSE AND. LORE OF THANKSGIVING .-Z

her rough shod feet her chances Were
fifty to m ans one.
The cries had ceased; but In spite Of
the distance that still lay between him
and his pursuers, Jim heard the crack
ling of the pine. branches, the rA'oft,
spongy sound OF a hundred moccasined
feet on the SNOW, and he knew the war.
party was closing around him.
Jenny was weakening with fright and
fatigue, and only the last dangerous
slope and the broad icy river remained
to be crossed. His only salvation lay In
the little exhausted 'steed he had loved
and petted for years. Laying his hand
on her quivering, swollen neck, he whis-
pered:
Jenny, ole girl, don't fail me; pun us
through. Jenny, Jenny ,rlon't go back OH
feller when he's just found out what
livin' means, and who'll live better, so
help him, if Just once more he kin see
her eyes a-laughing and her brown hair
a-shining in the sun That's the girl,
brace up; you're the best chum man
ever had.'
Straining every muscle in response to
the caresses, the plucky little beast
cleared the last drift and struck the
| trail leading to the river. With yell
OF rage the war party swept down the
mountain sides, flo,Indering with diff
Guilty through the drifts. a bullet whizzcd
past the flying pony, second partly
severed wing from one of the frozen
chickens, then came another and another.
The savages would at least kill this
| quarry, ir they were to be dcfraudcd OF
| the ch lance of torture.
Just us the bank of the stream was
| reached, Jim's right arm dropped useless
| at his side. 1t stung a little, and the
blood made scarlet trail on the road.
In moment more the fugitivcs were
on the river. and in spite Of Jcnny's eau
| tious advance, the trcacherous ice was
| quaking and cracking under every footfail.
In the middle of the stream second
| shower of bullets greeted them. spat-
| tcring over the icy expanse-onc clipping
/ hole in the crown OF Jim's hat. while
another struck poor little Jenny squarely
| In the heart. AS she lurchcd heavily
| forward the ice gave way, and the
water, deadly cold, surged over horse and
| rider.
| For brief moment, as he sank en-
/ tanElcd In the stirrups, 1t occurred to
: Jim that the fight might be up. But
/ once again at the surface, with the deft-
/ ness or a man accustomed to desperate
| emergencies. he extricated himself from
the saddle and by the dcStcrous us.. nf
his feet managed 10 float along the edge of
the broken ice, testing the crust as he
| drifted, with his one strong hand.
Little by little, exhausted by loss nf
blood and cold, Jim worked his way
along, cautiously drew his body over the
| cracking edge. and crawlcd. slowly and
with great difficulty. to the shorc. Once
there the danger was passed. for the
| Indians feared both the treachcry pf the
river, and possible ambush on land.
Bandaged and freshly dressed. smiling
| family at the attentions pressed upon him,
Jim was the hero of the widows Thanks
7 nj ~ rfFNfy ion OH
night the light was still streaming through
the cabin window, and the whole camp
allow ed, as ii sought consolation over
Jake's' bar, that Jim was altogether
too previous IA critter.'' Their spirits
revived. however when they reverted To
| the prestige that would accrue to the Cullen
| from i genuine wedding. . .t...
MARY -ANNABLE FANTON