Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-09-09

neck aud sprang to the edge Of the
bluff at q point where the wall was
slightly less steep. Instantly he
squatted down, lurched his weight for
ward and aid down the bank into the
basin below. The descent was almost
as rapid as q fall, but Oche reached
the bottom unframed, and springing
to his feet he came bounding toward
us, his lank, why body shooting far
through the air ct every leap.
The act Of the bandit in dropping
from safety to apparent death utterly
bewildered ms. In the nature Of
things II would not be to attack us.
The roaring Of the flames grew louder,
we could hear the cracking Of the
tall, crisp grass, yet We could only
stand and stare. =
The Indian presently reached us.
"Throw away guns - hats r. he
cried.
"Do IT. boys" commanded the
colonel, and as Frozen Pete threw
down bis belt, pistol and sombrero
Oche pushed him PROSTATE to the
earth. Pete fell just in front of the
burrow, and Oche sliding past him,
strung the lasso on the grass. Pete
understood and grasped the ropo near
It's centre, while Oche, dropping full
length upon the ground, wriggled his
naked body into the burrow. Thanks
to his extreme slenderness and to his
Indian blood he crawled through the
tunnel with oil the dexterity OF an
animal. Holding ono end OF the lariat
at his back he drew the slack rapidly
after him, and in less than minute
he stood on the narrow strip beside
the creek.
Pete crawled into the tunnel as far
as his own exertions would permit, and
now the Indian, drAwing the rope
taut, pulIed him along with all the
strength Of his 1.-the body. Twisting
and turning, the cowboy scraped safely
through.
The colonel grabbed the end Of the
rope which had almost disappeared in
the burrow, and running back with it
IL feet he ordered me to go before
him. : The FIRE was within so yards Of
Us. The wind drove sparks and smoke
against our faces. 1t was no time for
chivalrous Difference.
Dropping to the earth I grasped the
lariat as Pete had done and was trying
to compress my bulk just q little
when feltmyself ierked forward with
vigor which told me that Oche and
Pete were hauling together at the
rope. In half minute was by their
side, and our united strength dragged
Colonel Bailey rapidly through the
tunnel. But just as the sheriff's head
emerged from under the bluff Oche
sprang from us and running along the
bank Of the stream stopped some five
rods away. It was hardly strange
that neither Pete nor I thought Of
him as prisoner.
Colonel Bailey got on his feet and
took o step toward Oche. The out
lsY stood motionless. The sheriff
made another step. The Indian shook
his head, then turned aud walked
slowly away, conscious Of his perfect
security. He had seen us throw down
our holster pistols on the other side
Of the hole, and as an Indian he did
not fear our pursuit on foot
The sheriff watched Oche until he
has passed bend in the ridge, then
turned and walked toward us in 81
lence. Hating at the wolf-burrow he
bent down and peeped through it. AS
he did so his trousers were drawn
tight across his hips, and I perceived
the outline of hard object in his rear
pocket 1t was the butt of derringer
pistol; but ! an not the man to criti-
else the colonel. - Til Tilford, in
Youths Companion.