Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-08-12

shoot the man that breaks down the
! door,"
| She then made a pretense of piling
up furnitu't before the door to barri
cade it, and under cover of the noise
opened the rear window and sprang
out AS soon as she gained the ground
| shs fairly flew to the stable, where she
unloosed the half broken colt, Taurus.
| Not daring to take time to saddle or
| bride him, she led him to the bars,
and grasping the single rope attached
to his halter, sprang upon his back.
By this time the robbers had broken
down the locked door and discovered
her escape. They returned hastily to
the front of the cabin, where their
horses were tethered, mounted them,
and started in pursuit Of their victim.
The odds seemed greatly against the
brave little woman. Taurus under
stood at once that without bride or
bit he was practically master of the
situation, and began kicking, rearing
and plunging. But on hearing pur-
suing hoof beats he started, shifted
the air, and then, detecting the old
familiar trail down the creek, which
he had followed so many times in
company with the herd he galloped
rapidly in that direction. This was
what Mrs. Williams had counted upon
and trusted to. AS shot after shot
whistled round her from her pursuers
she clasped her arms around Taurus
neck and laid her head against his
long, black name. in an attempt to
make as poor target as possible.
But now Taurus blood was up. At
the sound of the pursuing horses, the
singing of the bullets round his head,
and n touch as of fire on his back,
where one of the missiles made slight
flesh wound, he threw up his head,
snorted with rage, and with one Nigh
ty leap into the air, bounded down the
trail with a speed which it is probable
was never eQualled by any of his fa-
nous progenitors.
Whether the robbers horses were
already jaded, or whether Taurus
speed was too great for them at best,
the desperadoes soon gave up the
chase. But the colt did not slacken
his speed till, trembling, wild-eyed.
his tlanks reeking with blood and
foam, he stopped at the round up,
seven miles away.
Breathless and dizzy, Mabel slid to
the ground, and in few words in
formed her husband of what had taken
place at the cabin. In few moments
80 l.; t. l,J
saddled their horses and were on their
way to the ranch.
When they arrived they found the
house in utter confusion and the rob-
bers gone. Nothing had been taken.
Under the fiat stone the four little
buckskin bags and their contents re-
manned safe and untouched.
A few months later the robbers were
apprehended for other crimes, for
which they were tried and served their
terms in the penitentiary
AS for Addison, he discovered ia
vorable location for his store, and is
now well-to-do merchant in large
western city.
Mrs. Williams is past middle life
now, and has streaks of gray in her
black hair, but she has never forgot
ten her wild seven-mile ride on the
back of the unbroken colt, and rather
enjoys relating the adventure when
coaXed to do so. She likes better,
however, to call attention to her favor
ite horse, Taurus, which, although ra-
ther advanced in years, is still a hand
some, mettlesome animal with scar
across his back where the robbers
bullet plowed his skin on that memo
rable morning 20 years ago.-Youth's
Companion.