Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-10-07
cuApTER XIII.

CHAPTER xLIII.
Astre, had not ridden very Iast
o,onp the old road She had never
nractised eouestrianism much; n De-
sides. She found il awkward riding on
E~umford's saddle. She could not ny
The stjrruDs SO as to get my suppoTt
from tlem. without first dismountlng,
and she did not like to 10 that-sne
feared some evil would come OF u. 80
She rode on as best she could, Tor
several miles, when, coming 10 Il clear
brook that crossed the road. over
which a rude bridge was thrown, she
thought she would dismount, n Try
10 onench her thirst, which had been
So great for some time as to occasion
her much suffering. -,
She accordingly dismounted" ana
leading Saladin TO the edge Oh ,ne
brook. on one side of the road, allowed
him to drink his fill, while kheit on
the turf and did tn esame. taxing care
however, TO keep fast hold or the DIT
die. lest the horse should run away
from her.
After resting by the brookside FOR a
short time. she contriyed TO nix the
stirr1,ns Cby shortening one and throw
mo the other over the saddle so as 10
bring them both on the same siue, as
she had seer countrywomen DO III New
England, during her schoolgirl days
so She could ride more easily anu 10
much better advantage; ana then
leading Saiadin TO the side or the
bridge. and standing upon II, she
mounted him, and rode on at Il
moderate pace.
She did not fear pursuit that night.
She had reasoned TO herself that Rum
ford and Sam would be a long time in
finding their way home. She thought
she left them much further from the
plantation than was really the case'
and supposed that 1t would be MD
night at least. If not morning, before
they would reach the house. Then
nobody could imagine. she hough
which way she had gone, nor get any
trace of her until late in the following
day, and by that time she would be-
where?
She did not know where. But she
would be far from Rumford. And she
could pass for a young lady among
- of that she felt assured:
and so she rode along, hoping after
awhile to come TO some plantation, or
other abode. of whose inmates she
could obtain shelter and food, and
under whose roof she could find re-
pose.
Thus thinking. Astrea rode ~le.surely
along, with a feeling Of comparative
security. until she was suddenly
startled by the sound of horses gal.
Looping over the bridge which she had
crossed not a great while before. She
Judged by the sound that they Were
/ coming at n rapid gait, and a deadly
fear smote to her heart. She felt an
IL stinctive conviction that the horse
nsen were in pursuit of her; and touch
ing Saladin with her switch, h nc
celebrated his pace 10 n rapid gallop.
in the hope of, AT least, not allowing
her pursuers to lessen the distance be
tween them.
But Astrea found riding at such a
swift gait to be wearisome work, and
she soon came to the conclusion that
in her exhausted condition. she could
not long permit Saladin to travel al
such a rate of speed. Meanwhile, she
tried to keep her ear attentive Il any
sound of hoofs hat might possibly
reach il from behind. in order TO judge
whether or not her pursuers were
gaining upon her.
There had been few elevations i'm
the road thus far, and they We're too
slight TO enable her TO see any dis.
lance back; besides, there were too
many turns in the road for that: So
she had no chance of seeing If she was
pursued But by-and-by she heard the
sound of horses galloping behind her
family. it is true. but she could not
be mistaken. In a short time she
heard them more distinctly. They
were gaining upon her, and she had
done her best!
She could not ride any faster than
she was thengoing; and even nj her
present pace, she felt that she could
not hold out a great while longer.
A turn in the road brought her In
sight of a hill, several rods ahead
That alarmed her, as she feared thu,
in passing over it's summit her pnrsu
ers would see her, the moon was shin
ing so brightly; and to prevent that
she rode close to the side, i'm he shade
OF the tall trees. She cast n duic,,
lance behind; but the turn In the
road shut off the view. 1t was not SC
ahead, however. The descent from tn,
hill was gradual, and the road wa.
straight as a narrow's flight. as far a.
she could see.
She knew that her pursuers wert
fast gaining upon her: and from tn,
top of this hill she was Just passins
they would be almost certain To get :
view of her. Astrea almost determined
to abandon Saladin and seek refuge II
the forest. There would be no dogs Il
lind her this time. she thought. and sh,
could certainly hide so that no human
eyes could discover her place of con
cealment.
But. as she thus communed with her
self. Saladin was Galloping on and sh,
experienced a feeling of terror Mt IN,
ldea OF stopping him and dismounting
While she was being borne so swift,
along. 1t seemed as though she mus
be safe; but If she s~topped-if she dis
mounted-why, there was no KNOWN.
what ills might come. SO she kent ON
until, hearing a shout behind her. sl,,
turned and saw two horsemen ius
coming over the brow of the hilton,
a white man. the other a negro.
1T Is they. Rumford and Sam, sb,
exclaimed. "Oh. l am lost! / canno
hold out another half hour"