The Washington times., 1901-09-08


The Indian chore boy told his boss, the
dav after his conference with Dory, that
| he must go home to help with the corn
hoeing. Jimmy asked him where he con-
sidered himself at home, and the boy
! said that White Hawk had adopted him
years ago. He did not even hint that
| Dory had told him to go to White Hawk s
! cabin which commanded a view of the
I road to town, and watch uncea singly for
| anyone who might be an officer riding to-
| ward Painting Bears home with Jimmy
Thompson. He did not say that when he
| sighted the men he was to fly down the
| hill back of White Hawks cabin and
| howl once as a hungry coyote howls.
!, then yelp twice to show that two dogs
were on the scent, or thrice for three
| pursuers.
1t was four miles from Vinita where
| the ranchman had gone for the deputy, to
| White Hawks home, and the dusk was
rapidly turning to darkness, when the
| shrill coyote call sounded from n nearby
| ravine
Sounds like young wolf, don't it?"
| commented the deputy Liable to get
into trouble with them dogs. though" he
! added. Ever try to make out from the
| howls whether It's she wolf? Some
I
not interested in the subject and did not
| answer.
There were two ways o, approaching
Painting Bears cabin. One road led past
it toward the south, and the other. the
one on which the two men rode, came out
| of the east To the north, from the bor-
der of the Paw Paw Creek timber to the
edge of Kansas. an almost unbrozen prai-
rfe stretched away. A few half-beaten
roads criss-croSsed 1t, but there was no
main highway, such as the one that wan
dered out of the west, and split near
Painting Bears home, going off to the
south and east.
When the two men were within quar-
ter of a mile of the man they were to ar
rest. they saw a horse and rider leave the
cabin and gallop toward the south. They
saw the rider turn in the saddle and
glance toward them, then urge the horse
forward as if to get out of view quickly.
Il bet that's the son-of-a-gun were aft
er. now, said Jimmy, when he had
watched the rider moment. He's got
wind of us somehow. an he's pullin' his
freight Come on, an well seel'' They
turned across the patch of open prairie
that lay between the roads galloping
sharply TO cut off the rider on the south
bound road. They were close enough to
recognize the white-footed pony that Jer-
~ Brown always rode, and the white
mans slouch hat. when the rider dug the
ribs of the black pony and clattered away
in a grey cloud of dust. Thompson and
the deputy rode after, started on a stern
chase before they had time to think Of
It.
Hanged II I'd thought it of him." the
arf1y ba led
absolute sloth of the man who had stolen
his pony, and then noted the energy with
which the fleeing rider seemed possessed.
Il reckon he's just scared now. an this II
last only two or three miles" he added,
mentally. and settled into long, steady
gallop with the irritated officer at his
side.
Sort of wild bird. him. shouted the
deputy above the ciatter of hoofs, when
they had covered four miles. and the
horse In front was as far away as ever.
Better make a rush an wing him, you
Think" He had no wish to wear out
good horse in a long chase.
mo use to shoot the cuss.'' returned
Jimmy Thompson. He can't hold out
but little bit further. You fellows shoot
too much, anyway. L like to catch my
game alive Darkness had come on, but
it was night made half-luninous by
moon near the full. and by an unobscured
expanse of starlit sky. The swift motion
of the riders brought steady breeze full
in their faces. AS a ride under the stars.
with an alI-night frolic at the end, it
would have been exhilarating. Turned
into a grim pursuit, with the gasping
breath Of the horses coming through tense
nostriIs. and the clammy night-sweat
inc frpr he g
tion of the ride became a fever. The men
leaned forward, pressing the cantle of the
saddle as If to shove forward the falter-
ing beasts that bore them. The horse in
front was becoming wearied, too. for its
gait changed from a free, swinging gal
lop to an irregular trot. while the rider
had settled into a sullen, crouching posi-
ton. When the pursuers noted the slack
enins pace of the rider In front, they tried
TO, increase their own speed, and by one
rush end the chase. But it had been
too even race. The black Indian pony
had worn out the horses OF the officers,
and after a little while all three were
forced to a staggering snail pace.
In this moonlight, the deputy began,
no longer compelled to shout his words.
and tired of spurring, ''it wouldn't be hard
to wing either the horse or the rider; and
tfldt NOulu uUlsn DuSlueSS
Twenty miles back with a stuck pig
to take care Of" interrupted Jimmy
Thompson, An If you don't hit him, you
Put the horse out, an that means a Nigh
ty slow procession home. No; it'll be q
foot race pretty soon with an even chance,
or better. for us. An man that gets the
fun o. the chase don't want better than
an even chance! Pot-hunters an them
that set traps for wolves. they get the
game: but they don't get the sport"
''Well, 1 amt hired for sport. / can tell
you,'' the deputy returned, grumbling.
But If you amt wantin' to catch the
cuss, why don't you let him go straight
on TO the edge of creation? No use killin'
horses this way" The rider in front only
a pistol-shot away. but preserving that
distance continually, appeared an awk-
ward, hunched, and tired-Iooking figure in
the moonlight. turning occasionally to
glance backward and urge the pony des-
perately; as eagerly intent upon mere for
ward movement as though there were
bridge to be crossed in a minute. which
would fall when the two pursuers came
up. Any but the merest novice or the
most excellently mounted braYado would
have left the open road early in the race,
and run FOR the timber that bordered the
creeks. But straight through four of
these natural coverts the three had rid
den, where a sudden turn aside and a
quick ambuscade would have sent the two
men back on their track. Jimmy Thomp-
son, used to a wide-open, straightaway
chase behind his pack of hounds hot on
coyotes trail, saw nothing unusual in
the thief's action: but the deputy could