The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-11
BY P. Y. BLACK.
Copyright, 1897. the S. s. Mcclure co..
THE CHASE

Copyright, 1897, the S. S. Mcclure Co.
THE CHASE.
The man ran on almost blindly. Be
hind him came his enemies, but he
heard their distant shouts family, as
from another world. because Of the
singing in his ears, the throbbing of
his heart, the awful pain in his side.
DO you make out who it is?" Cap
tain Barker asked OF the man next him,
as ne eyed the race through the field
glasses. with intense interest. He
handed them over as he spoke, to his
neighbOr, who gazed earnestly.
I am not yet sure he said at last,
but I fancy I am almost certain II IS
one Of these American boys who are
prospecting for alluvial gold and rails
ing a few crops along the river to the
north.
Those penniIess, independent young
sters2 But there is only one.
Then the other, fear. has come to
grief"
The two men stood within small
lager, formed of three OK wagons. and
protected on one side by the broad but
shallow and rocky bed of stream
The lager stood on slightly rising
ground, and although defended by only
ten white men and three native trek
kers. was comparatively strong po-
sition
BY George, .Romeyn," he said, lit is
hard on such a little force as this Il
draw down a whole impi of Lobenguia's
men. buG I'm bl6wed if I wart to see
that Yankee prosPector maesacred. Be
sides. he added, with true British ad-
miration for good sport, hes running
with no end of pluck. He ought 10
win
Every man in the laager was strain
49,
race. The fugitive was Still running
strong; they were not near enough 10
see the tense agony on his face, the
heavy laboring Of MS breast. But he
saw nCching Of them. He was still
speeding blindGy on. Better, he was
vaguely thinking TO burst his heart
and drop dead in his tracks, than fail
into the hands of the savages, newly
damp with the blood of his partner.
He was running new at right angles
TO the lager; several hundred yards
down the river he would pass them
His pursuers, in their excitement,
would probably follow on, and the
lager thus be left secure ia its obscur-
ity. Captain Barker looked at his ten
men grimly, and they looked back at
him. They al belonged 10 the force of
the British South Africa company, just
beginning its final tussle with King Lo-
bengula.
I'm responsible for your safety, my
lads he said. but you see what's hap
peninG There's about 30 Matabeles af-
ser that American boy. That's not too
many for US TO stand off, but-tnere's
probably a whole irnpi of them not far
behind these. who wiz be brought down
on Us. Shall ] bring him here, and the
Matabelss after him, or shall We
NO" came briefly from all Threats.
signal him herei"
Then stand ready to fire when j give
the word. Romeyn, you get there by
the barricade to help him over.
Barker leaped TO the top of an up
turned wagon. He WIS a tail, stout fell
low, with a voice like a howitzer's re-
port He stood. clean cut against the I
sky and waved his handkerchief: he I
put his hand TO his mouth and yelled: /
This way, halloal This way, my |
Yankee, and stretch yourself for all .
you're worth: Holloa, hollOai"
The fugitive heard that cordial shout /
Just as he felt his knees must bend be- /
meath him and bring him to the ground.
It was the familiar tongue of one of his
own race. If not one of MS own country
men, and it was like a draft of wine to
a sinking horse. 1t thrilled through his
veins, and he renewed his speed. turn
ing swiftly in the direction of the
voice. But the ATatabeles heard it, TOO
Nearer. nearer. neareri The lad ran
like a deer.
Now. my lads, let EN- have it! Fire
low
The runner heard the crash of rifles,
heard the wells Of wounded savages be-
hind him, heard the rousing cheers of
his new friends, then saw man run