The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-06-13

When he reached her, Mabel had
struggled from the folds of her habit
and stood looking haughtily about her.
The saddle on which she rode was an
old one ard its worn eirths had parted,
causing her fall. Piebald was quietly
cropping the bunch-grass which grew
beside the road, as though it was quite
customary for a rider to tumble to the
ground. Stoddard picked up the re-
mains Of the saddle in dioniiied silence,
inwardly cursing himself for not hav
ing examined the girths, and wonder
ing if Mabel was injured.
She soon put his mind at rest on
that point by saying: 'Please see if
you can fasten the saddle on the pony
again. 1t was very carelessly put on,
but fortunately ! fell on the grass and
was not Eurt."
He very deliberately began taking
off his pistol belt to mend the broken
girths. Miss Wainwright appeared to
be deeply interested in the scenery
about her and stood with her hands
shading her eyes, looking about the
valley.
"Why 49, ''"~" ra'i" cc'ing so
quecrIy?" she asNv.i. alter Il tune.
He was bending over the saddle
when she spoke, as lie turned to look
in the direction she indicated, his ear
caught the dull rumble of hoo!s, even
before his eyes could perceive the dark
rapidly moving mass that seemed
cloud of dust moving up tie valley.
My God!" he cried. The herd
has stampeded again and is coming
this way. You mnst mount the pony
and ride for your life. | will divert
them and save you.
He turned to secure the pony. But
the little mustang hsl also heard the
danger signal. He threw up his head,
and, with snort Of terror. went bound
ing across the plain. almost tlattening
himself on the ground in his desperate
efforts to escape the living avalanche.
The two were lcf, alon,
Z II had r. I.,,l Il
vancing, it is doublfu! if Lieutenant
Stod1ard wouii have Ielreated a step
until he had emptiel the chambers of
his rcvoivers. But rushing, below
ing mass OF maddencd cattle can 80
more he stopped in that manner than
the tide can be kept from rising ly
throwing stones at the waves. Besides
it Won Il be an iynoninious Il ath, an
he was not alone.
The portion Of the trail on which
they stood sw,rvtd in toward the
mountains, and lI:tle distance from
them were Il number of bou,lcrs which
looked as though they had been dis
LODGED from tue cliffs above an,i bad
rolled down the mountain side until
they found 4 resting place i'll the val
ley below. Sloddard glanced toward
the largest OF these. I'VE must run
for it," She shndders yet when she
remembers how quietly he said it.
He clasped her hand in his, and
pulling her with him, ran across the
prairie as on " Il man can run when
death is pursuing. And Mahcl->h'
gathered her skirts about her and ram,
too. 1t was little assistance the lieu
tenant need give her. They reached
the boulder and c!ambered up it's
Jagged edges, tie rough stones laccrat-
ing their LANDS cruelty, scarcely draw
ing breath until they stood at its sum-
nit
The leaders Of the stampcding herd
had first turned their attention to the
heein. broncho; but then seeing the
two forms on the plain, they swung
round with laundering circle and
gave chasc. Like an irr, sistible flood
they came, the foremost animals dash
ing headlung against the boul,er with
a force that made it tremb.e frightfully.
and those following tramp,ed over the
bodies of the fallen ones until it seemed
as though they would build wall OF
dead steers as high as the boulder and
thus reach their victims But at last
the rush Of the stampede was partly
ch cked and the cattle surrounded the
rocs-a sea OF tossing horns aEl glar-
ing eycbal's.
Stoldard knew that The chief danger
was past, but Mabel still! trcmbled vio-
lent!y, gazing with horror, stricken
eyes at the inluriated brutes below.
A sudden inspiration came to Stollard
as she lifted her appealing glance to
his face 1t was one Of those moments
when a man reviews his past by fash
light, and decides his future in an in
stant. He had paced his arm about
her when the rock was vibrating, and
now he drew her closer to him, and
said in tones which surprised himself
by their solemn sound: Miss Vain
right-Mabcl, we are in great peril |
We may lose our lives at any moment.
But in the face of it all, | must tell
you that | love you-love you as
never loved before. And | will not
make one eifort for our rescue until |
you promise to be mine" He paused |
I -