The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-18


aimed at the flying man.
To the far-distant artillerists, how
ever, there could be no such scruples,
and the fire of the field pieces rolled
along the line. as battery after battery
poured its weight of metal across the
road, to plunge, for the most part into
the plowed field beyond.
Rayburn was not afraid. He was
filled with mad, unreasoning exulta-
ton. He wanted to wave his arms in
the air and shout; and yet his mind
was working clearly and calmly be-
meath it all, and, repressing the hys
terical impulse, he bent still lower
along the horses neck and dug his
heels into his sides until the gallop be-
came a mad run. Then he glanced at
the embattled ridge to the north, not
ing how, as the nre reached one end,
the guns were loaded again and the
smoke had lifted at the other, until
detonation followed detonation with
hardly q few seconds between them.
He could hear the shot swish through
the air above and around him.
Now, and it was all done more rapid
ly than | have told it, he found him
self pulling the horse to it's launches
where Miss Lowell stood beside the
fainting form of Miss Hodges.
"Quck! Up!" he shouted, gasping
for breath.
Take her first" said the girl, point
ing to her companion.
Rayburn looked her straight in The
eyes.
You go first" he said. slowly, cor 1
stay here till you do. That's what 1
came for-and l would suggest haste"
Before either of them knew just how
it happened, she was in the saddle, he
on the horse close behind her and lean
| ing forward so as to throw his body be-
tween her and the guns; as if a rited
fieldpece would make any account Of
| two human aggregatiOns of flesh and
| bone.
| The short distance was soon covered
| and they We're well beyond the last tar
get. She sprang to the ground.
You will go" she began, quickly
| Then she looked at the line of belching
fire and hesitated; but Rayburn had
spun his horse around and was riding
| back.
He was conscious that he was fright
ened now, for the eXultation of a few
minutes ago had vanished. Still, there
was more work to be done, and, dis
mounting, IS lOOh tllSS IlpuScS III --lS
arms, and, climbing back up the
steaming animal, turned him once more
toward the point of safety.
Scarcely a furlong away it was, and
he had almost reached twas even be-
ginning to consider how the tendency
toward fainting at critical moments
might affect the development of the
new woman.
Than he felt that h in ho1 criI
en- way beneath him and that he was
going-still forward but down and
turning somersaults as he went.
The blood kept getting in his eyes
as he scrambled to his feet. but he saw
the horse wallowng by the roadside
shot through both launches, and Miss
Hodges lying in a comfortable heal
where she had fallen, limp, and conse.
quently uninjured
There was something wrong abou
his left shoulder, but he managed
somehow to tuck the woman under hi:
right arm and proceeded to half carry
half drag her, the few remaining fee
that had to be covered.
Miss Lowell hurried forward to help
but by the time she reached them they
: We're pretty well out of even the lint
of chance fire, so he only frowned anC
let her assist, feeling at the same tim,
a renewed sense of Indignation agains
Miss Hodges. Then he was conscious
of 81 strong desire to sit dOWn--in tn
road-anywhere and, as there didn'
seem to be anything else important 70
him to do, he proceeded to crafty hi
inclination and straightWay forgot al
about the artillery practice and tn
, martinez sergeant and the manglet
horse and even Miss Miriam Lowell.
1t must have been a long time befor
, he opened his eyes, for his surround