The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-16
Nndian After Indian Fell From His Horse.

, Bronson said. without lifting his head.
II think there is some hard riding for us
10 do pretty quick Are You ready Get
on your horse and take the back trail
but don't move ont of o. walk unless !
give the word. Never mind the pack
mule. He'll follow"
Cdtlett die as no was told.
What have you seen. SAM be ask
cd. as. with their horses at o. walk, they
started back on the route they had
travelled that morning.
Nothing much. only Comanchf
head pceping over the crest OF the ridge
were leaving behind answered The
guide, I'm his calm, mattcr-0f-fact way.
ut was only for a moment, and he was
behind a cactus plant, but I've made no
mistake. That Indian was the scout of
some band not far away. We won't
push our horses i'm the beginning, for II
the Comanches come after us we'll need
all the 90 there is in 'em before we get
away All. there they come, crowd Of
'em. Now set fire to your horse"
For ona instant. following the guides
look Catett turned TO see sight that
he never cared to behold again-the on
coming of a Comanche war band. Round
the point of the ridge on leaplng ponies,
with bodies naked TO the waist ana faces
brightly painted, carrying lances' bows
and rifles, they came-twenty-iVe IN
number the most skilful and daring rid
ers of all the Indian tribes They were
a third of a mile away, but their fleet
Monies were swiftly closing the distance.
1--WE must get TO the arroyo ahead of
EN-" said Bronson. and set the spurs
hard into his horses flank. ITS ten
mile run. with our lives AT stake
Both the hunters had good horses, and
they put them 90 their fun speed me
Indians i'm their FIRST rush. came within
a quarter of q mile of them, but after
that the hunters managed to keep this
distance good If no saddle fastening
parted If neither horse should sip or
break a leg in Il prairie-dog hole or lag
from exhaustion, the two might hope 10
get TO the arroyo and across IN ADVANCE
of their pursuers. But ride as they
might, they could not widen the space
between themselves and the Indians,
much less shake of the tireless pursuit.
AS they rode the thunder growled, light
ming flashed from the dark cloud In me
north. and the heavy rain concealed the
bluffs from view. while the sky was clear
above the stretch OF prairie on which the
two men and their pursuers were riding
their race for life or death. The horses
painted painfully and their sides were
aocl,cd with foam when at last the hunt
ers refined them at the brink of the arr
rovo Down the channel which four
hours before they had crossed on airy
sand. a muddy current, extending from
hank 10 bank was pouring, with ris-
inc flood behind it. They put their
horses at tho water. already risen To
their stirrups, plunged through 1t ana
gained the other bank Looking up from
mld-stream. Catlett saw the gathering
flood sweeping down like waterfall Ten
minutes later they would have come TOO
late 10 cross.
Keep straight on. but don't force your
horses pace any more" said bronson,
as they came up on the prairie level.
The hunters had lost time In crossing
and they were about a hundred yards
beyond the brink as the foremost COM
anChe got 10 the opposite bank seeing
the white men still running away the
Indians not hesitating. dashed down IN
the arroyo one after another Iheh
Bronson slipped from his saddle threw
the bride rein over the horses head, so
that the an lma4 should not ander away
and with his repeating rifle in hand, ran
back TO the arroyo.
Follow me-" ne called to catlett; ana
I'm half "A minute more, from the arroyos
brink his rife was speaking sharply 10
the Comanchcs down IN the channel.
Catlett, reaching the bank half a min