The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-11-28
WIDOW HEBRON'S
THANKSGIVING.
BY MARY ANNABLE FANTON.

AS he cantered briskly away over the
stretch of prairie which the gale had left
bare of snow, he was conscious of two new
and strange sensations; the irritation of a
stiff paper collar about his brawny throat
and a peculiar huttering feeling, as he
would have expressed it, somewhat down
below the shoulder blade"
He flung open his coat, and expanded his
chest with great breath of mountain air,
and as he settled back in his saddle his
eyes were shining with a sudden rush of
happiness. All unconsciously he had come
into his birthright.
Self-analysis he was incapable Of. The
greatest Joy of his life had come to him,
and he accepted it with the unquestioning
delight OF child.
As Jim left the prairie road and struck
the trail that led through the mountain
gorge, the little pony picked her way gin
gerly from drift to drift and over crusting
slopes. Jim did not notice that the snow
had rekdered an always bad road almost
impossible, or that the sun was already
making dangerous riffs in the ice-coated
stream. Jim was in love. Dangers by
land or water, or from the tricky Red Men
were not worth considering
A faint, gurgling sound, like the far
away howl of a coyote, drifted down the
gorge The pony shivered, slipped noun-
dered and righted herself in the drift; but
Jim only smiled as he patted the frozen
fowl and remembered the dandy poker
game he had played to win them. The
cook couldn't be bribed, but poker was too
much for the agent.
A cry, like a wolf in sight of prey, fierce
broad, exultant, broke the death-like still
ness, and echoed from mountain top to
mountain top. This time the pony quiv-
cred convulsvely, fell back on her launches,
and neighed as though in pain.
Jim's face blanched and his icy fingers
closed over his heart. For the first time in
his rough, wild life he cared what the out
come of fight with the redskins might be-
Again and again, behind him and on
both sides, that awful cry rang out, sharp
and resonant--a cry thrilling with the
eager anticipation of bloody work.
Choking down gasp of anguish and
rage Jim sent the spurs sharply into
Jenny's side. He would have liked better
turning back and downing half dozen of
the skulking rascals, but that meant death,
sure and quick, and Jim meant to try for
the LIE and happiness that lay ahead of
him up the gorge.
AS yet the path seemed open, and the
little broncho struggled bravely through
drifts and over ice-crusted banks. With
her rough shod feet, her chances were so
| to mans one.
The cries had ceased, but in spite OF the
distance that still lay between him and his
pursuers, Jim heard the cracking of the
pine branches, the soft, spongy sound of
100 moccasined feet on the snow and he
knew that the war party was closing
around him.
jenny Woo NcehShihs Ntll iliShp anu
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 quiver-
ing, SWOLLEN neck, he whispered:
"Jenny, Gle girl, don't fail me; pull me
through, Jenny, Jenny don't go back on
a Teller when he's just found out what
livin' means, and who'll live better, so
help Kim, Il just once more he kin see her
eyes a-laughin' and her brown hair -shinin'
in the sun. That's the girl, brace up;
you're the best chum a 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 a yell of rage the war
party swept down the mountain sides,
laundering with difficulty through the
drifts. A bullet whizzed 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, if they were to be defrauded of the
chance of torture.
Just as the bank of the stream was
reached, Jim's right arm dropped useless
at his side. 1t stung little, and the blood
made scarlet trail on the road