The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-08-19
D. SOMERSET, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 49, 1896.

mile; but it was five times as far by the
trail.
AS the desperadoes had foreseen,
their intended victim had outrun
them, and they swept around the last
curve in their road just in time TO see
Duncan mounting the steep hill, not
more than two hundred rods ahead of
them. He was in plain sight. and
when they saw that it was boy they
had been following, Reddy exclaimed
with savage oath, "Sold! It's no.
body but kid"
Dyer muttered curses. But Bad
dock took a longer and more careful
look. "It's kid, sure enough" he
said at last; 'but he is riding Furniss's
bay mare, and he wouldn't be doing
that unless something big was at
stake.n
'That's So" said Reddy, "and we
can run the game to cover in ten min
utes. Itll be an easy job. Five thou
sand dollars, and no noise but the
squalling of a brat. He'll fall off his
horse when We call him."
BY this time Duncan had entered
the woods. As he was passing out of
sight they urged their horses up the
hill and at its summit dashed after
| him. He had turned the first point
and could not hear their horses up the
hill and at its summit dashed after
him. He had turned the first point
and could not hear their horses hoof-
beats. They rounded it in a moment
and he was not more than twenty rods
in advance. Counting on the fact
that he was a mere boy, they rode
recklessly.
Throw up your hands," shouted
Reddy, aiming a pistol carelessly at
his moving target, and expecting to
see him stop at once, and pale with
fright.
He had reckoned without host.
Quick as flash of lightning, without
so much as turning his head, the lad
dropped flat on the mares neck, loos-
ened his bride and yelled, "Gor'
1t seemed to him as if million
springs had been loosened in the body |
of the little mare. Her first leap had |
all the speed of an acquired moment /
um. A shot rang out, and a bullet 1
sang over the boys head. The next |
instant he had turned another curve,
and was hidden by the bushes. This
sudden move was an absolute surprise /
to the robbers. The best marksman in /
the region had missed good shot. 1
Their prey was escaping. They sprang /
like hounds TO the chase. They were /
well mounted, and although they had 4
ridden hard, their horses were still 4
quite fresh, and, terrified by their mas
ters' yells, ran furiously.
AS for the boy, his face did not even
blanch. He knew that his young life 4
was in peril, but his hope lay in his /
horse, and his confidence in her was
supreme.
On she went, swinging round these
sharp curves, darting down the level
stretches; on, on, on, over reaches of 4
slippery clay, beds of caving sand,
stretches of loose boulders, and the boy
perched on her back like bid, talking
to her as quietly as if she We're in the
stable enjoying her oats.
They passed the second Of the seven
points, and then the third-the fourth
the fifth, and the bay seemed to be
gaining at every leap. Her rider could
now and then hear the curses of his
pursuers and the crash of their horses
feet; but less and less audibly.
rs he rounded the sixth point he
glanced over his shoulder. His heart
throbbed as he saw how he was getting
away from them. "Run, girl, runr'
he whispered joyOusly.
A wild feeling of triumph famed
through his young heart. After he
turned the seventh point his course ran
down a sharp and rough decline. His
mare passed it without misstep. \
few moments later he turned i'm his
saddle and found that his pursuer had
just come into view Suddenly the
robbers horse stumbled-there was
violent plunge-the rider was thrown
completely over the animals head, and
evidently remained stunned on the
ground, as the boy did not see him
again.
Just then he caught sight Of the two
remaining desperadoes, pushing along
trail at the bottom of the mountain of
which he had never heard. 1t had
saved them mile of hard riding, and
seemed probable they would cut him
of.
For an instant his courage failed
him. His only course lay onward. A
moment more and he had summoned
resolution to meet the emergency. He
uttered a cry into the ear of the little
bay, and she responded to his call,
increasing her terrible speed.
From his elevated pathway the boy
could see his foes and measure their
progress. The abandoned trail was
rough and they were going slowly, but
their road was short oneI Neverthe-
less the brave lad felt that there was
possibility that he could outride
them. 1t was only few rods to the
little open prairie, and a few more
across it into the woods. If he could
only reach those he was safe.
He was gaining. Yes. He would
beat them into the prairie sure! There
was only one danger now. What if
they should shoot?
Out of the woods he dashed, straight
across the open land. Yes, they were
unslinging their guns. There was no
use of looking any more. He had done
everything he could, except surrender
and that never would do, The brave
lad lifted his heart to God, and lay fiat
and low on the neck of the mare. On.
on. the moments seemed endless; then
came the reports of two rifles. One
ball cut off lock of his brown hair,
and the other struck the arm that was
clasping the horses neck. Worse than
that. the bullet pierced the neck itself.
o Carara.
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