Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-08-19

away, l could see light. Some
enterplisln coyote had dug a
passage through the narrow wall
to the ureek beyond.
"See if It's wide cough for Sou,
5Oy,' CRED the colonel; "maybe we
can get through, maybe not. If we
can't ~
lost the rest of the sentence as
with both arms extended in front
of me | thrust my head and shout.
ders INTO the opening, and digging
my toes violently into the ground
| showed myself forward almost
ny length. There | stuck fast.
With no room to bend. .my arms or
use my knees, l was helpless.
Writhe and sqnirm as | would, l
could make no progress. In de.
spair | struggled back into the
basin.
Il feared IT, sad The sheriff,
huskily. "Ir we could use our
eibows we could make it, but as It
is, God help u.s."
For some seconds we stood no.
tiOn;ess. The fire had advanced
full 30 yards, AMI the internal roar
was buzziug in my ears when Pete
suddenly thrust out his haze TO-
ward the west. Opposite us. on the
verg of the bluff, was the rascally
bandit, Oche. We could see him
distinctly IN the increasing light.
There he sat asIride the coloue's
pony, stoldly watching us and ap.
preaching destruction.
We had hardly time for thought,
however, before Oche dropped to
ground. Holding the lariat cOiled
In his haud, he cnt it from the
bronco's neck and sprang to the
edge of the bluff at a point where
the wall was slightly less steep.
Instantly he squatted down,
iurched bis weight forward and
slid down the bank into The basin
below. The descent was almost as
rapid as fall, but Oche reached
the bottom unarmed, and spring
ing to his feet he came bounding
toward us, bis lank, why body
far through the air at
every leap.
The act of the bandit in drop
ping from safety TO apparent death
utterly bewilderCd rs. he ma.
tu-e Of things 1t would not be to
attack us. Tie roaring Of the
danes grew loOder, we could hear
the cracking of the tall, crisp |
grass, yet We could only stand and J
stare.
The Indian presently reached us. |
Throw away guns-hits" be
cried.
"DO It, boys," commanded the |
colouel, aud as Frozen Pete threw
down his belt. pistol and sOmbrerO /
Oche pushed him prOstrate to the |
earth. Pete fell just in front Of the |
borrow, snd Gcbe sliding past him,
strung The Iasso on the grass. Pete |
understood aud grssped the rope |
near it's centre. while Oche, drop.
ping full length upon the groud,
his naked BODY into the |
burrow. Thanks to his extreme
and to his Indian blood |
he crswled through the tunnel
with all the dexteIity Ofan animal. |
Holding one end Of the lariat at hls
back he drew the slack rapidly at
ter him, and IN less than a minute
he stood on the narrow strip beside
the creek.
Pete crswled into the tunnel as
Tar 80 Lis own eXeernOns would |
permit, and now the Indian. draw.
i * the rope taut, pulled hlu along
With all the strength of his 1.-THE
body. Twisting and turning. the
scrsped safely through.
The colonel grabbed the end Of
The rope which had almost disap
peared III the burrOw, and running
back with 1t - Zee the ordered NE
to 20 before him. The fire was
within 80 yards OF us, The wind !
droye sparks and smoke against
our faces. 1t was no time for chiyal-
rOus Difference.
Dropping to the earth | grasped
the isrirt az Pete had done and
was trying to compress my bulk
lust a ll'tle when I felt myself
ielked forward with vlg0r winch
told me that Oche aud Pete were
hauling together at the rope In
half minute 1 was by their side,
aud our united strenth dragged
Colonel Bailey rapidly throug the
tunnel. But Just as The sherlfl's