The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-22
SHLOMY JHNE'S KISS.
BY Bret Harte.
loopyrght ISIS. by Bret HarLel q - -

tves seemed to join. That haste posi-
bly, prevented them from noticing the
singular change which had taken place
in 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 were quick, alert
and keen, his mouth half open as 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
a gopher hole, rolled over, unseated his
rider and even dragged the bound and
helpless second captive from Judge
Boompointer'S favorite mare. In an in
slant they were all on their feet again
but in that supreme moment the second
captive had felt that the cords winch
bound his arms had slipped to his
wrists. BY keeping; his elbows to ms
sides, and obliging the others 10 heip
him mount, it escaped their notice. ny
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 ms bonds.
Their way lay through sylvan VIII
derness middle deep III FERNS, whose
tall fronds brushed their hoses, sides
in their furious gallop and concealed the
flaming of the captive's loosened cords.
The peaceful vista-more suggestive Of
tbe offerings of nymphs and shepherds
than of human sacritice-was in n
strange contrast to this whirlwind rush
of stern armed men. The westering
SIM MERGED the subdued light and the
tremor Of leaves with yellow lances;
birds started into song on blue and
s,e4l u .,e
the trail of this vengeful storm could
be- heard the murmur of hidden and
TRANQUIL waters. In few moments they
would be on the open ridge, whence
stoned the common turnpike TO Saw
yers," a mile away. 1t was the custom
Of returning cayalcades to take this
hin at headlong speed, with shouts and
cries that heralded their coming. They
withheld the latter that day as incon-
sistent with their dignity, but, emerging
from the wood, swept silently like an
avalanche down the slope. They were
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 horse's neck. A sudden
'vaquero' jerk, which the well-trained
animal understood, threw him on his
launches with his forelegs firmly plant
ed on the slope. The rest of the cayal-
cade swept on: the man who was lead
ing the captive'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 galIoping furiously up
the slope.
Tt was the work of a moment. A
trained horse and an experienced hand.
The cavalcade had covered nearly 30
wards 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 in his
extremity also, and would have gladly
taken shot in his own leg to spare
that of his horse. Five men were de-
tached to recapture 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 out between the pillared
tree trunks. he offered no mark. They
knew his horse was superior to their