Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-05-11

him, John Hansford rode up, and
without waiting to shake hands or to
get off his horse, said:
Martin, you had better call your
herders into camp mighty quick.
They say, down at Truebury's, that a
small band of bad Indians is knocking
about tho country somewhere north
of here. They've killed Mexican
herder and burnt his cabin, and now
they've crossed the railroad coming
this way"
lost no time. "Dick Taylorl" I
shouted, and out ran the cook, the
only other man on the place at that
time of day.
Saddle up-hurry, said, "there
are Indians betwixt here aud the rail-
road We must gallop 20 overtake
Sally and Walter"
With his paper cap on his head and
his hands covered with dough, Dick
rushed with me to the stable; out
came the horses; on went the saddles,
and in less than five minutes we three,
all well armed, were galloping north
ward.
Meanwhile Walter and Sally had
travelled some fifteen miles. They
were jogging along, laughing and
chattering and watching the shifting
mirages which are always to be seen
at that time of year, when my girl
cried out:
"Oh, lookl There's funny one!
Then Walter saw what appeared to be
the legs of five horses trotting along q
foot from the ground.
Presently the scene changed, the
horses legs vanished, and the young
sters saw the heads and shoulders of
five men, large and underlined, sailing
through the air. Sally told me after
ward that this frightened her.
Suddenly the mirage cleared, and
the girl and boy saw, about two miles
to the northwest, five horsemen, one
behind the other. They were riding
as if to intercept the wagon, and there
was something very unusual in their
appearance. Walter pulled up and
took out his field-glass.
Il don't like the looks of thcm,"
said he. "They aren't cowboys;
they've no hats, and think no saddles.
I'm afraid they're Indians"
Turn back" said Sally, "and then
we shall know if they're trying to cut
us off,"
"That's sensible" said Walter, and
turned at once.
The riders Immediately broke into
hard gallop, and headed straight for
the wagon. Walter urged his horse
to trot, and then the desperate race
began.
Fifteen miles of level plain lay be-
tween the team aud the home ranch.
Conld the horses hold out? At first
Walter tried trotting, but the gallop-
Ing Indians gained so much in the
first mile that he lushed his team into
u run.
Bnt what chance, in that race for life,
Q had two steady yoldranch-horses hitched
S to heavy road wagon? Though they
began with two miles start, the light
| footed Indian ponies came up SO fast
. that my girl, as she turned her head
= to watch them, could soon distinguish
\ the forms. They grew from dark
patches to definite figures OF men on
n running beasts. Sally could make out
e the heads, arms, and riying hair OF the
lndlaus, the heads OF the ponies and
c their moving legs.
0 They're gaining fast, Walter" she
:. cried.
:: Walter didn't look at her then. Hel
p voice had been ioited out of her by the
o Dumping wagon, and he thought it wa.
d all OF tremble. He just stood up il
the bouncing, rafting wagon and staret
e round the skyline.
Il He had some hope that he might Sc,
e other riders, and ii he did ho woult
IL head for them; though that wasn't tht
IS principal thug in his mind. Blu
l. there was not a living figure clea
against the blue or dim against tn
:, plain-nothing bat the bare, burn
:, prairie and the gray streak of road.
&c ITS all right, Sally" "cried the boy
s not locking down at her, for he fearet
e. she would go into Mysteries, as he ha,
'e once seen an Eastern girl do. cit
ID all right, Sally; we'll beat them yet.
q At that my girl laughed.
10 81 guess" she said, you're no
such tender foot rs they call you.
70 She told me that lie stared down a
at her in surprise for moment, and thel
10 changed his tune and took her righ
lg into his confidence.
@, ''I'm looking for good place t
y fight" he said. eve can't get ava
IS from them by running. But we mus
n keep on until we see some cover With
reach"
t, "CoverI" said Sally. "We'll b
ID better off in the open il il comes t