The Jennings daily record., 1902-05-21

- = = ! - 4 : = = il1li =
'aafA arrow; 10 ths stfihs. deringails,: The
messenger swung the 2mux1le of y l1is'
pistol to reaEs But ihis quick eyes
noted the arrow of his pursuer; 1t
passed .to his right at SO wide an angle:
that he gave an involuntary hoot Of
.derisien.c The Indians upon his left,
noted the shot, and yelled encourage
,ment to their fellow. .t''
Again, as Carl was about to fire upon
him, Bear Bonnet let fly an arrow, and.
1t passed, like the former, far. upon
the messengers right. Instantly the
flying horseman OWNED that those
bow shafts were launched with no
hostile purpose. Bear Bonnet wanted
him to turn to the right-to ride to the
mouth of Pony Greek!
There. the express rider knew, were
an old buffalo ford and a trail which
came in at the mouth of the main
canon, and SO passed by easy stages
along the river bluff toward the stage
station. The route was at least as
near as the pony trail, but the ditch
like canon was SO steep that its des-
cent would test the courage of any
rider less than reckless.
Little difference need the danger
make to him at that moment! He
turned his tagging horse toward the
mouth of Pony Creek. And now he
leaned forward and spurred the animal
to last desperate burst of speed.
final heroic effort to gain fighting
cover.
The crowd of Sioux. now fast gain
ing upon his exhausted mount, yelled
their triumph. which shrilled upon his
ears and set all his nerves a-tingle.
Would they follow him over the pre-
cipitous earth-banks of the canon?
Arlently he hoped SO. At least some
of their necks might be broken as well
as his own.
He now lay fat upon his ponys back
and neck and the trained animal un-
derstanding the necessity, strained
every muscle in last rare squirt OF
running Carl did not again look be-
hind until his reeling beast was hurled
headlong into the vast ditch of Pony
Creek
Bruised and dizzy. the fallen rider
picked himself up. to see his gallant
pony lying. heels up and stone dead. in
the bottom of a dry run. The mail
bags had been torn from their saddle
fastenings and lay al the edge of the
ditch.
Bonnet's buckskin. with doubled
launches piow like hurled projectile
down the nearest slope: saw. with his
brain in a whirling maze. the young
Sioux leap from his saddle. thrust
lead rope at him, and then swung his
loosened mail-bags upon the steaming
pOnys back. At touch of the mail
sacks Carl recovered presence of mind.
remembering suddenly his peril and
the necessity for action. In an incred-
IDLY brief space of time he was mount
ed and off again.
AS ne fled down the canon. the ex-
press rider looked back to see Bear
Bonnet break his bow and fling him
self face downward upon the bank of
ditch, where he lay as if stunned
by fall from his horse. Cunning and
loyal young Sioux-he had paid debt
of gratitude at fearful risk to him
self!
The messengers new mount Jumped
bitches and washout holes in perilous
ries of astonished screeches broke out
above the head and to the rear. and the
bullets and arrows of his pursuers
knocked up spurts of dust upon the
embankments as he fitted by them.
Nor did the Ogalallas fail in daring.
They thundered over the sleeps and
into the canon in a yelling rout.
But in twinkling Carl had lodged
behind projecting spur and turned
his scudding mount upon the old
buffalo trail. With each touch OF the
spur the express rider felt growing
confidence, and in minute or two OF
running he knew that he had under
him a pony as fresh and swift as that
of any wild rider in the chase.
In point of fact. the Indians did not
chase him much beyond the mouth of
Pony Creek. In five minutes or less
after leaving the canon-and much
ahead of his scheduled minute-he
drew rein at O'Fallon-s.
When the story was told to the boss
of the station and his men. they said
that something handsome should be
done to reward that Sam Patch of
Sioux They held his pony at the
station. hoping that Bear Bonnet
would himself come for it, if his tribes
men did not kill him. Then as the buck
skin disappeared from the company's S
herd one night and no others were
taken. they knew that the brave young
Sioux was alive. but would not come to
claim a reward-Youth' Companion.
Our Native Sparrows.
49,,