Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-16


tuat formed the siues OF the funnel
could set their own pace and force that
CT their companions. ~ the groups
strung out; they soon became two con-
tinuous but narrow columns on our
hanks, and these long columns were In
cessantIy widened and solidihed by the
inl ushing Of thanking cattle that made
short cuts to reach the stampeding
throng.
We've got to get through quickly or
they'll bs On top Of US" cried Del. look
lng Ut mt with great alarm.
Well get througn-theyre not clos
my the CUP" shouted, for we had to
shout ii we would be heard above the
uull, strunge din.
"They are!" he reared. 1.-THE cattle
III front are not running as fast as those
leading the sides. Don't you see the
sides slowly closing in?'
II it had been possible for us to stop
them we should have rejoiced to do 30.
But muses. OF cattle behind US were
kaIloplng furiously-a dark, believing
array under the cloud Of their own
dust. We dared not risk stop; we
&C uld not turn aside; our only chance
OF escape seemed to lie In outrunnlng
the TANKS Of the cattle impi, and 80 es-
Gaping by the front.
We had good hope to get through,
und pretty easily, though the course Of
the leading tlanking cattle seemed to
slant more than ever across our line,
and the front herd. perhaps because
they lnstinctively wished the Others to
mass with them, seemed to slightly
slucken their speed.
As we hurried toward the narrowing
gap we came ever nearer to the tl''ln-
dering beusts Of the side columns. We
were 10 near them that the heated,
nameless smell OF their gallopng bodies,
their breath, the very fumes Of their hot
blood seemed enveloping US in smoky
air. which became thick and binding
as a light, transient wind blew from the
foothills, and bore around us the fine
dust from frantic hoofs.
take more ground screamed Del,
"spreud out. We must keep further
apart. They'll keep back, maybe. Try
it. It's our last chance
"No--let us stop-let US turn md run
back. There may be an opening be-
hind us in spite Of appearances"
There's moi" roared Del. II looked
behind before the dust closed in. Don't
YOU hear the rush back there? saw
u perfect horde right behind us--a reg
ular line. Cattle have run in from the
PLAN and caught up to the rear line.
Take more ground, | tell you'll"
Twas so close to the galIoplng column
on my right that | could see the beasts
eyes. They had not gwen way as |
came nearer, but still did not seem in-
cljped to crowd me. have since
thought that they did not see us at all
after the stampede began, but rushed
bindly OH with the impulse to mass.
Well, | knew that those directly be-
hand US were pouring on in n frenzy
that would, did we fall, carry them over
us us in perfect unconsciousness that
they trampled anything living.
| felt my strength failing fast. 1t
seemed that the course was carrying US
up IL slope. But now we were so closed
In that the dust was quite binding, |
could no longer see Dell | yelled to
him, but heard no reply. With hor-
rible covering realization of what a
formIess mass he must be now, II he
were down among the hoofs, pushed
my pedals desperately.
Right ahead of me the dark places
tlut denoted cattle intermingled with
the dust seemed still unjoined' The gap
was not yet closed, believed. and drove
for it. Could | but get through and a
little more than through night
sweae off against the breeze, pass
round the front Of the furious, wedge
like mass. and escape the wide Ranking
ends.
More choking, more acrid, more cyIl'
smelling, more binding the hidcous
dust en,eIoped me. Was close ON the
leaders now. ! was so close that
could dimly see the saunt, rldgy backs
the muscular hind parts, the crazy tails
these cattle, tried by drought and
lean with much wandering for water
were in condition to run far-even in
my despair, noted that.
In condition torun! They seemed in
condition to leap as if for fun while run
ming. Up--they sprang by ranks-how
strange! All, | understood
But understood too late. The earth
crack which they had leaped was deep;
my wheel seemed TO so from under mel
lust then | heard what sounded like
rapid revolver firing; and down, down
fell.
When my eyes opened swarthy
face close to mine. A peon from thu
Rancho del paso was holding a little tir
Of wine to my lips. Others stood about
And Del-could ii be possibleY The,
had lifted me tenderly out Of the earth
crack, and now told me how Del and
had been saved.
lie had fallen into crack, too, bui
had escaped with fewer hurts than |
As for the poems, they had ridden from
the Rancho del paso in an attempt tt
stop the stampede, and the sound o
their shooting into the leaders was tha
which | had heard Mt the moment O
my fall.
We were at the Rancho del Paso foul
DAYS before was fit to travel; ant
when next we crossed that drear,
stretch OF plain it was with u wagon
| train. Del and had learned to appre
cjate the dangers of bicycling among
range cattle, and the value Of a con
siderable acquaintance with the Next
can yernacular. When next we heard
pcon warn us to avoid Plaza de 1'oros VI
inew that he meant something NOR