The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-02-13

about her head and answered, cam
really such a fright"
Jack Hamilton says he was suddenly
possessed with premonition of great
danger, and wheeling his horse he
started toward the girls as fast as the
animal could go. He was a moment
too late The cattle appeared coming
around the mountain in a trot The
instant that the head steers saw the
strange looking being displaying SO
many colors on the black horse they
threw up their heads and began to
snuff the air.
The herd was punching up behind
the leading steers, and Hamilton, fair
ly flying along the valley, knew that
they would make a break almost in
stantly, and he felt confident that the
black Comanche would spring forward
like panther and run with the cattle
as if band of wolves were at his
heels Nothing would please the ras-
cal better. Hamilton had often been
on Comanche's back, and, knowing
that it took q powerful man to hold
him, he trembled for Pauline's safety.
If the young girl had fully compre-
hended every phase of the situation,
hardly time was allowed her to es-
cape, for the herd wheeled and stream
ed away with a roar that shook the
earth the next instant after seeing
her. AS Hamilton had feared, the
l. Ioa I- nIn hn in iC
teeth and leaped forward like a race
horse. with fire flying from the flint
rocks under his feet. Evidently he
thought he was doing his little mistress
a great service. He had done the same
thing a hundred times before, and he
doubtless we'll remembered that the
one who rode him always petted and
praised him for his pluck and speed.
A dozen bounds brought the pony by
the side of the plunging animals.
Pauline, now fully awake to the dan
ger of the situation, was exerting all
her strength to control the frenzied
horse and might have succeeded In
guiding him out Of all peril If one of
her reins had not parted. This accident
seemed to discomfort the trained cow
pony. He ran wildly right into the
believing, surging mass of stampeded
cattle 1t was at this instant that
Colonel Slaughter plunged forward
among his men, begging them to ride
and save his daughter. The mad cat
tie were going straight toward the
great Colorado bluff, which was hardly
half mile away.
Pauline turned her head, and she
gained a little courage. Through the
cloud of dust she caught a glimpse
Of two horsemen riding toward her.
Once more, by using all the power in
her arms, she turned the head of her
pony a little and guided him toward
the outside of the surging throng. Now
she could see over the bluff and recog-
nize trees beyond the river She saw
the big, long horned Mexican steers in
front stop for an instant and their hind
feet stuck up quivering in the air.
There seemed to be hundreds of hoofs
pointed toward the skies. The lead
ers were plunging over the bluff.
Pauline closed her eyes. She heard
something whiz by her head, and she
felt shock as If the pony had struck
wall. AS she slid from the saddle
she saw steers passing through air and
falling into the river. She was within
a few inches Of the brink of the preci-
pice when her father grasped her hands
and drew her away.
Hamilton had saved her life. He had
come near her when she made her last
effort to guide her pony out of the
herd, and he threw his rope over the
black Comanche's neck when he was
within a few feet of the edge Of the
bluff. His we'll trained horse, with his
fore feet planted in the ground, barely
stopped the black rascal from going
over with his precious burden. Colonel
Slaughter was at Hamilton's side when
be threw the lariat, and he was first
to reach his daughter.
After some moments, when the other
cowboys and Paulines girl friends had
arrived, many of them with faces
suffused with tears, the old rancher
turned to Jack Hamilton and said:
Here, young man, hold out your arms.
You seem to be pretty good on the
catch See If you can catch this little
Christmas present am going to give
you"