Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-09-23

night. II. did not want to push his
horse too hard at the start, for if
he succeeded in getting through
the cannon there was still a stretch
OF level prairie oyer which he must
race for 80 miles to reach the rail
road, aud it the Indians were out
again it might end IN a race for
life.
After allowing his horse to browse
for few minutes, he tightened the
saddle.girth, mounted and set OUt
for the next range. 1t was dit
ficult work riding down the steep
incline INTO the valley, bat once at
Tue foot be raced across the bottom
lands and did not draw rein until
the towering heights of he Black
Hills lOOmed up before him. Here
he gave his horse u short rest,
while ne himself munched a hard
tack and refreshed himself with
coffee from his canteen.
he decided to take tie trail lead
ing over the summit instead of &C
lIg through the cannon, for lie
reasoned that be would he IN
better position TO make fight
outside the canon than in 1t, If the
Indians had already entered, and
also be stood greater chance Of
escaping observation.
By the time he reached the sum.
init of the range great haIs Of
golden light were beginning to-
shoot through the eastern heavens. |
He anxiOuSly scanned the prairie |
that stretched away below hlm TO
the horizon, but not living thing
could he see upon 1t. COngratulat. !
ing hiIns, upon this, he pushed |
rapidly across the mesa that |
formed the divide and was about |
to tax the trail in descent when
his attention Was attrasted by a !
dalk, cloud shaped object that had
suddenly risen upon the verge OF
the southern horizon.
Tuere was 10 need to ask what
it was. indians was Mickey s
first thought. As he watched ii
the cloud grew larger and larger
until he was able to distinguish Il o
outlines of the ponies and riders
The young trooper knew that it |
would be impossible for him 10
cross the prairie without being |
discovered, but he did not faller.
He had no idea of giving up. He
opened the flap of his saddle pocket
that contained the extra ammuui. |
ton, lOOSened his revolver in its
holster aud was about to urge his
horse down the trail when he saw
another cloud OF dust rising dl
rec ly east of him aud IN The dl-
Iec;IOn he must travel.
Mickey began to think that al! |
the Indians in Wyoming were out.
Suddenly his heart almost stood
still, for out of the dust emerged a
gOveInmen: ambulance. There
was no mistakiug it. The -four
mules were on a dead rum aud |
the driver was lashing them to
their utmost speed.
Mickey dNiu that the general
aud his daughter were occupants
OF the vehicle, aud his first thougLt
was. What Can do to save the
young ladyr for he could sea the |
Indians were in fall crv and ell
leavOring TO reach the cannon
ahead of the ambulance.
He noted with JOY that 1t would |
he impossible for them to intercept |
Int, and IN the same instant a |
thought came to him by which lie
might saye both father ard dangh.
ter. 1t wss a desperate resolve,
which might cost his iiie, as lie
knew, but no thought of SELF. |
preservation entered his mud. He
led his horse INTO the thick brush |
alongside the trail, ook the extra
ammunition trOm the saddle pocket |
aud rapidly descended to poiut
Dout 90 feet above The road ay
which commanded the entrance TO |
ID canon and at the same time
sheltered bin iro m attack, except |
from abOye.
The cannon is so narrow at its
opening that not more than one
vehicle at a time can enter; on the
north side the wall rises sheer 10
the summit of the mountain, OnV
the southern face is broken up into
rough ledges that form excellent
hid. places az well as formidable
baltltrs.
To get at him the Indians would
have either tn force a passage and