Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-08-15

l2lgH Ua 660 HESw u fif e1f y the
beVaA nWuoo q tAs brsess.
n eaft1od Il % and a. aad ANA,
runhang A1bsr II was enly Ne nners
prom1Aent . figure In the 1and1eape.
Il was when she overlook II And hsld
II Win the ends waving fufiea1ay In
the wind that she occupied the larger
lportaou Of the view. Lena saw It Aad
the cattle herd saw II. too.
First one or two heads were hfted.
then more, and soon there waG q hhtle
sea OF anxious faces ready for the nov.
city and waiting to see what the jead-
ers should decide to do. They seemed
to rest until one big white steer started
on tro< for the front and was appas>
emily eager to make . closer investiga.
tion-
Look" cried Lena, from her station
Of vantage; look, they are stampeddne
on her."
She was right. The cattle were all
getting In mo&ion and were headed for
the defenseless girl, who was over
across the valley. Anna herself seemed
1
tice the oncoming herd which would
like an avalanche overtake her.
| But Lena did not wait. She realized
something though not all Of the danger
in which the railroad mans daughter
was. For a moment there came the
thought, why should help herr Did
she help meT'
| Tho anawor Woo mt %~p - .onir
Lena had been injured and snubbed by
the stranger; she owed nothing to her
on that account But there came some
thing-anOther feeling overcoming the
first, and with a sharp blow Of her
spurs that sent the pony forward with
the greatest speed Bess had ever shown
she was of!
Down the long slope. across the level
plain below. through the tall alough
grass and the sunfowers, then out on
the level buffalo erased prairie abe
few.
Could she make It In timer The
chances were against 1t. She thought
she could ride to Anna and then help
her to the saddle and get out of the
way before the herd was upon them,
but that plan was becoming out OF the
question. She simply could not with
all her sharp plunges Of the spur make
the patient Bess go any faster. What
could she do?
Suddenly like an inspiration there
came to her a new thought. Az she
galloped on she determined to put II
m operation. Reaching down to the
cord that tied the sack Of salt bobbinR
before her on the saddle she found that
it was all right. Then she turned Bess
front Of the oncomdnS herd. To her
right she could see the frightened girl
enemy; to her left was the rushing tide
Of horns and hOofs that meant death II
there was not a change in their path, /
for Texas cattle are no respecters OF
persons.
Nearer and nearer they came togeth-
come with the Quietness Of great fear
She held out her arms to Lena, but
there was no time for an answer-Lena
could not reach her and must utilize
every possible opportunity for success
in her desperate undertaking.
Then, as she came near the herd, and
Just as she began a dash in front Of the |
now excited and desperate cattle, she
pulled the string holding the sack |
mouth closed, and there trailed behind |
her a thin stream Of whiteness that |
sifted in long shower upon the short |
grass.
1t flowed like a veil and made a
broad though rather faint mark on the i
sod.
Faster and faster she went, and just
as the leaders Of the herd came to the
stretch Of white she rushed away be.
yond their reach, the empty sack flap
ping at her saddlebow.
But what of Anna? She stood as one
)etrifed with fear, watching the on
coming flood that was to engulf her
and which meant instant death II she
was reached.
She saw the dash Of Lena far away
serted her. Nor could she blame her
much after what had happened.
But wonder Of wonders! What was
The herd doing? The first line Of steers
went unchecked, but the second had
lowered heads, the third tried to stop
md couldn't, the fourth did stop and
licked the ground; then the bustAng
crowd behind forgot its eagerness to
get ahead. and such q pushing, hooking
Ind plunging as there was to reach the
appetizing salt!
Lena turned her horse when the dan
ger was past and rode up to Anna.
"Get up here beside me-" she invited,
and will take you to q place where
It Is safe. Never cross q prairie on
have no respect for people
On foot. They like and fear a horse"
Then she looked down at the girl
on the ground. Anna was
rying.
You were too good to me-" the latter
vas sobbing; II didn't deserve It"
But Lena only reached down her
land and lifted the other to her side.
sess carried them over the prairie rap
dly, and after a while the tears were
lried.
Lena looked down into the eyes lifted
o hers and in an instant their Aps met
The school children wondered the
ext day to see the sod house girl and
he railroad contractors daughter with
rms around each other, the best of
riends. They did not understand the
eason for the change nor the spirit
hat had transformed both their hearts
but Lena and Anna dAd.-Chicago
record.
An EvoA1l0nf NEoAA0fnA