The Jennings daily record., 1902-05-21

of his life before him. Presently, as
dust overhung the near bluffs in front
of him, he let his pony go at top speed.
Yet he was hardly abreast of the
swarm of wild riders when the bluff
upon the river fats.
The Indians seemed not to notice him
at first; they must have thought that
two of their own riders were scurrying
along before them. Carl now noted
that Bear Bonnet was no longer rid
ing with him neck to neck. The Sioux
had dropped a hundred yards or SO to
the rear.
The messenger gave his pony an ap-
proving slap upon its neck. If Bear
Bonnet's buckskin. with the legs of a
coyote, couldn't keep the pace, he
thought his own more heavily weight
ed animal must be superior to the In
dian stock.
He made the most of the precious
moment when the Ogalallas seemed
to be considering his identity. Then
the Indians recognized him as a white
rider. probably fleeing from the cour-
ageous Dakota in the rear. and with
llolh
the noise they made-launched their
ponies in pursuit.
The washout canonS Of Pony Greek
were six miles away. He knew the
intricate windingS of those canon-cuts.
and if he could reach them far enough
in advance. there was some chance to
dodge his pursuers there. He leaned
well forward. and his Spanish tick
lers' sought his pony's f1anks.
The response was running which
resembled the skimming rush of a
frightened antelope. Across two miles
of space. in that clear atmosphere, he
heard the whoops of the Sioux. a pro
cession of sage-bushes fitted by as if
blown by the wind. Presently the fly
ing rider looked behind to see what had
become of Bear Bonnet. With some
surprise he noted that his first and
casual judgment of the Indians clean
limbed buckskin had been after all
correct. Bear Bonnet was not losing
ground. but to what end was the In
dian thus giving chase?
Apparently the young Sioux had
thought it necessary. for his own safe
ty, perhaps, to change his tactics, TO
seem to be taking a very earnest part
in the chase. The express rider could
easily perceive that it might become
necessary for Bear Bonnet to show n
hostile hand in downright earnest.
Very well. let him take care of himself,
if need be. but not come too near, Carl
took a revolver from his holster and
twirled the cylinder to see that its six
tr1f hnir
In the meantime the string of low
living riders was stretched for half a
mile on the messengers left. There
were more than a hundred in pursuit.
according TO the messengers Judgment,
and large squad of the foremost
were certainly riding ponies as feet
as his own.
Ahead of him. three miles away,
the bluffs met the river: mile be
yond their rise lay the washouts of
Pony Greek: and still mile and half
beyond the creek his trail descended to
the stage station i'll the valley Of the
Platte.
Carl's pony had already made a SHARP
gallop of six miles when the Sioux
had appeared; and the animal was
and a heavier saddle than the In.
dians used. Despite this handicap, the
messenger swept across the fiat val
ley to the foot of the abridging bluffs
keeping nearly even pace with the
Sioux.
But their lines were surely converg
ing upon his trail. and score of theil
| swiftest riders were now scurrying w
| the hill slope but quarter mile or sc
upon his left. If it were not for the
fact that the pony express trail bore
! to the right, at the level of the higf
lands, Carl would now have turned
to the river for the slender chance O.
escape by swimming across.
| His horse had made Il splendid run
| but was plainly giving out. Carl cas-
| a backward glance. Bear Bonnet wa
within fifty PAGES, and was easily hold
| ing the pace. The messengers onl.
hope now was that he might reach th'
Pony Creek canons in time to gain :
| cover from which he might stand of
| the Indians until help should possibl,
arrive-a hope slender enough at best
! At the level of the bluff the foremos
| Sioux were swiftly bearing i'll upon hi
| trail. Under his legs Carl could fee
the sharp heaving of his pony's fanks
! The animal was steaming wet, an'
| painting like a wolf run to earth. Car
only wondered that the gallant ba.
had not dropped in that terrible strain
ing up the bluff.
Again the express rider looked be
hind him. Bear Bonnet was now il
close chase, not more than thirty pace
/ owav Even as Carl looked. the YOun