Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-12
MY CAPTIVE.
By JOSEPH A. ALTsHELER, Author of "A Soldier of 3Ma1ahattan, ,'' "The Sun of Saratoga" Etc.
fCopright, 1900, by Joseph 4. Altsheler.1
 CHAPTER VI.
IN A STATE OF SIEGE.

Old Put stretched his neck, and the regular, steady beat of his flying hoofs was music to man who loves good i horse. But the new horse, too, length ened his stride and kept by my side. | judged that he was good comrade for Old Put. The plain, grassy and undu- lating, rolled away before US, and I could not see its end.
 Our pursuers hung on, and distrust- ed their silence. It betokened resolu- | tion, determination to follow us mile after mile, to hang to the chase like hounds after a deer. I judged that among Crowder's motives chagrin at | having made such fool of himself and q desire to repair the error were the strongest. The men did not spread out fan shape, but followed us in q close group. I was still sure that we were gaining, though very slowly, and they seemed to think so, too, for pres ently they fired two or three shots, as if they hoped to frighten us with spent balls. The girls horse swayed a bit to one side, and I thought he had stum- bled again, but she said he was merely startled by the pistol shots, and, pulling him back into the true course, we gal loped on.
 We crossed a swell of the earth, and far out on the plain I saw the dim out lines of small house. or rather log cabin, rising from the earth. The girls horse threw up his head and uttered a neigh, or rather 8 cry or 8 great sigh, | for it was almost like that of human being, and staggered from side to side, his pace sinking quickly from a sure gallop to a shaky trot. The horses s great eyes were distended with pain and fear, and blood and foam were on his lips. A dark red clot of blood appeared upon his side, and knew then that one l of the bullets which I thought would 1 fall short had struck him and the wound 1 was mortal.
 Without my hand pulling upon his rein Old Put stopped and looked at the other horse with eyes of pity and sor- row, for he knew what was going to happen-he knew he was going to lose one who had been proving himself q worthy running mate and comrade. I leaped from Old Puts back and ! snatched the girl from the saddle just as her horse reeled and fell and gave { up his honest life with one great groaD
 I half lifted, half pushed, the girl upon Old Puts back, where she sat se- curely despite the mans saddle. Once she protested, but I roughly bade her be silent and obey me and we would es- cape yet. Then she said no more.
 ''See the house yonder?" I said "We will reach that and beat them off Maybe we will find allies there. This should be q patriot region"
 rested one arm on Old Puts shoul- 1 der The girl was on the horse's back, and I, partly supported by him, ran by 1 his side. It is trick that the borderers will tell you is common and useful enough. Old Put gave me great assist ance, for he understood, and as we flew along my feet at times seemed not to touch the ground.
 1 Our pursuers reached the crest of the swell and raised shout of triumph as they saw the dead horse in the path and l the single horse running on, carrying i one of the fugitives and half carrying the other
 1 I took one quick look backward and calculated that we would reach the hut in time. Our pursuers evidently did not think so, for they fired no more shots 1 The girl was silent, her hands folded upon the pommel of my saddle and her face all white again. She left the di- rection of everything to me.
 The cabin continued to rise from the plain, the corners, the caves and the roof appearing until it stood before us distinct and near at hand.
 "Now, Put, old comrade, greatest of horses," I cried, i've are nearing the 1 ryNa1J Chow, +ha,n 1oxp ctr !, and speed you have kept in reserve for can do when you try your bestu'
 He replied by deed, and I fairly swung through the air as we raced straight to the cabin. l expected some tousled head to appear, reused by the thunder of so many hoofs, but none came. The cabin remained silent and lone. There was small garden, but no fence around either it or the house.
 Old Put dashed straight for the door, as If he knew what was wanted of him. which. in fact. he did, and stopped five feet in front of it so abruptly that the girl would have shot over his head had not held her.
 She sprang to the ground. I slipped the bridle off Old Puts head, gave him 8 slap and cried:
 "Gor"
 He galloped around the house and disappeared, his hoof beats dying away in the darkness. Then I showed the door open and rushed in, dragging the girl after me. I slammed back the door and looked for the bar that is. commonly used as a fastening in such frontier houses. There it was, and I showed it into it's place. Nothing but battering ram could break in that door now!
 Safe for the tiInep' cried. 1T defy them to take us in this fort!'
 Then looked around me. The girl, half fainting had staggered against the wall and was leaning there. It was a house of but a single room. On a wide brick hearth . fire was still burning, or rather snioldering, yet it. threw out enough light to disclose the contents of the room. No human being was there Everything of value except the heavy