The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-08-07

I
boys"
The bars of the corral gate wer'
drawn back and Joe paced In. l had re
turned TO the wagon by this time, witt
Col. Jensen, and we had capital view
of the interior of the corral.
Joe neld his lasso in both hands. hi,
bride hanging loosely on the mare,
neck. She was perfectly trained. and
required neither guidance nor re
straint. Slowly she approached the
colt, he retreating to the farthesi
corner of the corral, showing that
he well knew the significance
of this thin brown rope and
what it could do. The mare drew
nearer, step by step, and ! faneied that
| could see mOcking smile upon her
face. Nearer and nearer. until, with a
snort and a shake of the head, the
broneho sprang forward. Joe rose IN
/ his stiFrups at the same moment, and
swept the moose once round his head.
/ A quick turn of the mare, a cloud of
dust and heavy fall. and then the colt
was ON the ground, half choked and
/ helpless. Down went the bars again.
and the three chosen men rushed in.
+ Two al once sat down in firm and I'M
concerned manner upon the head of the
fallen one, while Joe and Ezekiel Yates
proceeded TO strap upon his back a
saddle and bride, brought in by the lat
ter. This operation was delicate one,
for the PROSTATE colt struggled and
dashed out desperately. But the men
seemed utterly Indifferent to the pros
pect of being kicked into eternity, and
accomplished their work in very few
minutes. Joe frightened his belt.
cit, boysl'
the corral and through the gate like
rabbits to hole, the mare having
trotted out before this of her own ac-
cord.
l watched Joe breathlessly. The
broncho, free now of lasso and men, lay
still moment, then raised his head and
sneezed. Two seconds passed; he did
not move, but sneezed again. Was he
hurt? Not he. Now, with a sound
! like the scream of "a maniac, he leaped
to his feet in one bound and spun
around open-mouthed to find the man,
and seize him in his teeth. But Joe was
not to be caught, and when the dust
raised by the colts quick movement had
subsidized, we saw him firmly planted in
the saddle, as if he meant to stay.
Ezekiel rejoined me now, and laid
hand upon my shoulder.
"Yer have 'em before ye lad. Two
devils. Which is the stickiest? All,
ah-h bet on the man this time"
| cannot give just idea in pen and
ink of the excitement of the scene.
The little horse, with wild eye and n
big head. was now fiend incarnate. He
was not trying to rid himself of his
rider so much as to destroy him. His
eyes glowed like live Goals, and at inter
vais he repeated his shrill scream of
rage-a challenge to the man. His first
movement when he felt the pressure of
Joe's limbs was to rear erect, and at
tempt to throw himself backward. A
blow between the ears with the butt
end of a quirt (Mexican riding whip
brought him quickly down again. Then
he arehed his back like an angry cat,
gathered his feet under him and "let
fly'-as | never saw horse buck be
fore or since. The strain upon the
girths of the saddle was tremendous,
but they were new and bore it well.
while the rider, resting lightly in his
stirrups, held his balance with beau
tiful skill and GOODNESS, and throughout
every twist and turn and jump of the
broncho kept firm grip upon the
bride, which he wound round the horn
of the saddle as sailors secure rope
to belaying-pin. The bucking con-
tinued without respite for several min
utes, and ended by the horse rearing a
second time, and in this instance over
balancing himself and falling heavily
backward.
Trick number one" muttered Eze-
kiel, in grim whisper, while l shud-
dered and cried out, expecting to see
Joe crushed by the fall. He had slipped
aside in time, however, and was on his
feet in moment. The colt was unhurt
also, and, rolling over the ground set
Joe dancing this way and that, to es-
cape his heels. Another moment passed,
and then the broncho was upon his feet
again, and for the second time the man
just saved his life by extreme agility.
More kicking now eRsued, and clouds of
dust rose up which made it very difficult
TO see exactly what was happening.
All at once / heard Ezekiel give an ex-
clamation and swear a deep and Wig
orous oath; and presently saw that
one of the girths, the thinner of the
two, had split across. The dangling
ends at the broncho's sides seemed to
infuriate him and his leaps and kicks
sensibly increased. Now came a sharp
click on either side of me, and Col Jen-
son spoke.
Draw, boys, and cover him. We
must not lose another life. Fire when
l give the word, every one"
There was quick movement on the
stable-roof, and ten revolvers flashed
out of their sheaths, and ten fingers
were pressed upon the trigger, waiting
for the word.
1t was death-struggle now. If there
were a flaw in the remaining girth, if
strap or buckle failed, the saddle would
go and Joe be at the broncho's mercy,
unless these pistols did their work in
time. But the girth held CALAMITY, and
at last the broncho began to tire and
we began TO breathe again. could see
Joe dearly now. The signs of battle
had begun TO appear. He was one