Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-29


lpowerless to check him. All she hoped
| for wes to guide him and save he. SELF
from death against q tree trunk. She
did not look back. Warlock, size knew.
was ten yards behind. Billy Hope
would do his best. but he could never
bring the black horse beside the brown.
She could look only to herself. Her IA
Their and Esten were too far OF for
help.
She leaned slightly forward, saying.
| STEADY, old lad; steady!'' at the same
time giving the horse his head by an
inch. He answered by snorting AN.
grily, batting his ears viciously, set
ting his teeth harder on the bit and
stretching into a dead run. His eyes
were red and rolling; foam white lather
lines marked both counter and quarter.
Once or twice he gave a sidewise
spring, as though trying to shake off
his rider. She answered the second
leap with a slashing cut in the flank.
AS Captain ran away from it she said
through set teeth:
You are running to please yourself.
my fine fellow When it comes to stop
, ping, you will have to please me-"
For all the leaf muff1e she knew that
. the hoofs behind came nearer. She
even fancied she caught through the
rush of her own wild progress the
. swish of catgut furiously piled. She
was so glad to be upon this road, al
most untraveled. Suppose she We're in
| the big road, with people scurrying out
on each side, screaming and shouting!
Suppose she came upon the Malones,
with the grays on edge and ready to
bolt at the wink of an eyelash! The
thought had hardly formed when she
) gave low cry. The road turned
: sharply. Fifty yards ahead she saw
Jim Malone driving the grays at a
slapping pace, but under a slack rein.
Rose, take your foot from the stir-
g lrup!" Billy Hope shouted at her back.
I'll Warlock, running as he had never
e run before, eyes glaring emulously, nos
n trils wide, mighty muscles tense with
the ardor of the race. was Tapped upon
Captain. head to flank In three strides
), more he would be even. Intuitively,
Rose understood Billy's plan. He
a meant TO snatch her from her perilous
4 seat, and let the brown go on riderless.
a She could not let him Go it. The grays
: would run as surely as they heard any
O thing come behind. Jim could never
\ hold them, even if he were alone. And
a he would have to look out for his fool
" ish wife and the little innocent baby.
Somebody must help hint" She
h pointed toward them with her whip.
In ana cried. tBllly! Inc paDy! save 1t
~ If you love mel
We'll do it or die!" Billy called back
to her. He had caught her impulse and
loved her more than ever that she was
, so unselfshly brave. Then he shouted
| loudly: Drive up, Jim! Drive like the
! devil, and hold hard!''
| The grays, Jim's pride, were the fast
| est team in the county. He gathered
| the reins strongly, leaned forward and
| Iathered their satin sides. Astounded,
| they sprang away, their swift, even
| trot breaking to a plunging run. Jim
| did not look back. There was that in
| the note of Billy Hopes voice which en-
| forced instant obedience. His wife be-
| gan to scream, clutching wildly at the
| reins. In her frenzy she let the baby
| drop from her lap to the floor. Jim
| caught it between his feet and held it
| safe. Both hands had the reins in
/ wraps. Even at that it was all he could
| do to keep the horses in the road. They
| tore along at whirlwind gait. never
4 islacking for hill or hollow. Jim turned
| an ashen face to his wife and said:
! Flora, we deserve to die for being
| fools enough to drive these horses-but
| do remember baby. Let me save it if
can"
| Madly as the grays went, something
! behind was faster. He heard it coming.
4 In q little while he knew whatever
| pursued must pass him. With all his
/ strength he tugged at the reins and
| sent the grays a little aside. The road.
| narrow enough everywhere, was mar
| rowest of all just ahead. 1t ran for g
| yards along bench in the bluff side
| only wide enough for single vehicle
1 At one hand the ground rose in 8
| wooded ramp at the other there was 6
4 Il fl,e, s1lct,. &C,
| the bottom.
l IF they come UP with us there
4 Jim shut his eyes with a groan tina
\ was half prayer, half curse. Again h,
| dashed his horses. If he could keep il
front until the bench was passed, Their,
1 might be a chance of safety.
/ The bench was bare of leaves. Hal
way across he heard thudding hoof
behind AS the grays came to TIL,
farther side brown horse shot by up
on one side, a black upon the other
The brown ran on with long, STRETCHING
strides. The black checked at the heat
of the grays enough to let his ride
seize and hold their bits. AS they wer
drawn to standstill Billy Hope shout
ed:
Ind Get out and take the baby, Mrs. Ma
ley lone! 1 have got to go ahead"
Mrs. Malone obeyed. AS she touche
If earth Tom Esten came laundering by
he The Barb was not so quick to set int
full run, but as good as the best ono
she he was in his stride. He left Wafloc
ry- behind with ease when Billy rode OF
Thus it happened that he came up frs
in with Captain--Captain, quiet as a lanll
u'd and pacing soberly forward. But Cal
nee tain's master was near enough to hea
W." Tom say:
he sWell CAPTAIN did try to carry yo