The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-24
8HLOMY JAMES KISS
BY Bret Harte.
copyright, 1898, by Bret Harte.)

, tives seemed to join. That haste posi-
singular change which had taken place
III the second captive since the episode
of the kiss. His high color remained as
if it had burned through his mask of
Indifference. His eyes We're quick. alert
and Keen, his mouth half open rs If the
girls kiss still fingered there. And that
haste had made them careless. for the
horse Of the man who led him slipped in
4 gopher hole. rolled over. unseated his
rider and even dragged the bound and
helpless second captive from Judge
Boompointer's fayorite mare. In an in
slant they were I'LL on their feet again.
but III that supreme moment the second
captive had felt that the cords which
bound his arms had slipped to his
wrists. BY Keeping his elbows to his
sides, and obliging the others to help
him mount. it escaped their notice. BY
riding close to his captors, and keeping
in the crush Of the thrOng. he further
+, concealed the accident. slowly working
his hands downward out of his bonds.
Their way lay through a sylvan will
derness. middle deep in ferns, whose
tall fronds brushed their hoses sides
in their furious @lllop and concealed the
tapping of the captiye's loosened cords.
The peaceful yiSta-more suggestive of
the offerings Of nymphs and shepherds
than Of human sacritice-WaS in 4
strange contrast to this whirlwind rush
of stern armed men. The Westering
| sun pierced the subdued light and the
tremor of leaves with yellow %lances:
birds started into song on blue and
dovelike wings. and on either side Of
the trail Of this vengeful storm could
Ia lnarl tho mDTnur of hidden and
tranquil waters. In a few moments they
would lie on the open ridge, whence
sloped the common turnpike to Saw
yers, Il mile away. 1t was the custom
of returning c:valcades to take this
hill ut headlong speed. With bouts and
cries that heralded their coming. They
withheld the latter that day rs neon
sistent with their dignity, but, emerging
from the wood, swept silently like IN
avalanche down the slope. They We're
Well under way, looking only to their
horses. when the second captive slipped
his right arm from the bonds and sue
ceeded in grasping the reins that lay
trailing on the horses neck. \ sudden
"vaquero" jerk. which the velltrained
animal understood. threw him on his
launches with his forelegs firmly plant
ed on the slope. The rest Of the caval-
cade swept on; the man who was lead
ing the cal,tive's horse by the RATA.
thinking only Of another accident,
dropped the line TO save Himself from
being dragged backwards from his
horse. The captive wheeled, and the
next moment was galloping furiously up
the slope.
1t was the work Of q moment. \
trained horse and an experienced hand.
The cayalcade had covered nearly 20
yards before they could pull up; the
freed captive had covered half that dis
lance uphill. The road was so narrow
that only two shots could be fired, and
these broke dust two yards ahead Of the
fugitive. They had not dared to fire
loW-the horse WAS the more valuable
animal. The fugitive Knew this III his
extremity also. and would have gladly
taken a shot in his own leg to spare
that of his horse. Five men were de-
tached to rccapture or kill him. The
latter seemed inevitable. But he had
calculated his chances: before they could
reload he had reached the woods again.
winding in and ont between the plllared
tree trunks. he offered no mark. They
knew his horse was superior to their