The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-10-30
By JOHN FINNIMORE.

one of these shot flights brought me
to the spot where l had flung down my
coat. l caught it up, rolled it up round
my left arm and ran in on them as
they stood together. Both sprang at
me, and l aimed to take the second's
point with The coat while played the
murderer and drove my blade home.
At the very instant of attack, the
second changed his style, whirled up
his sword and cut me over the head.
| had given up my thoughts too much
to the other 4 and though l raised
my arm and broke much of the blow,
yet it lighted fairly along my green
wound, and the blood spurted as from
q fountain.
The pain of a still raw wound hacke
open again was most exquisite, yet for
a few moments | held my ground. Then
n swift dizziness came over me and I
reeled and fell. A shout of savage Joy
burst from the red mans lips, and he
pressed forward to make his wicked
plan good, when there was an unearth-
ly scream of rage from the wood. and,
with a fierce thud of flying hoofs,
Whitesock, her great discolored teeth
laid bare and iron heels ready for in
slant action, dashed in to the rescue.
She was just in time and no more. AS
99lN ''Sti wv ny pcuy, liz w cd pun lid
had taken Owain's life was levelled at
mine, but her sweeping kicks swiftly
drove the enemy back.
The first keen agony of the wound
passed, but l felt unable to rise, so sick
and giddy was l.. Whitesock turned
her big, bright eyes on me, and l
raised my hand. She laid her velvet
muzzle against it for an instant, then
looked warily round again. l had left
her browsing mons the withered herb
age of the wood, and she must for
awhile have remained ignorant that
had run out into the open, or she would
have followed me at once. She had
evidently caught sight of me as fell,
and OWNED that her aid was needed.
My nemies had no pistols, and l felt
as safe from their swords as if had
been in a castle, so l lay there watt
ing for the giddy feeling to pass off
before I got to my feet.
The duellist had by this time mopped
the blood out of his ewes, and he walked
u%nsteadily up to his companions The
blade had taken him across the TOP of
his forehead, and the flowing blood had
coated his face. 1t was now s%tiffening
and drying upon his cheeks, so that his
eyes seemed to glare from a hideous
red mask.
ITS only a horse" he cried, "run in
and stab him where he lies"
His brother took him at his word.
and ran in. He waved his sword in
the mares face as he dashed forward.
thinking to brighten her from her post,
but Whitesock stood steadily, her head
n little down.. Then. of a sudden, she
reared %furiously and stood bolt up
right on her hind legs; to my eyes, w.
Ing directly under her, she seemed as
tall as a tree. The murderer gave n
loud yelling laugh, thinking she had
reared to wheel round and ny, but new
cr was a more fatal INSTRUMENTATION
made. The first step that brought him
within striking distance saw the mares
forefeet darted at him with Irresistible
fury. No boxer in the ring ever plant
ed a blow more surely. ~, with a tithe
of the fearful force now employed. The
iron shod hoof, driven at lightning
speed by the mares tremendous
strength, took him fairly in the throat,
cutting short his laugh into a dreadful
| silence, and hurting him six or seven
! yards, the body rolling over and over
time and again.
The duellist dropped his sword and
flew to his brother. He raised the hud-
died mass from the ground, then ~ t
fall again with a loud cry. 1t rolled to
his feet and lay SPRAYING in limp and
| uncouth attitudes. Had the m,rderer's
neck been closed in thrice-tempered
steel that awful blow must have broken
it at once, and Owain was avenged
This cowed the courage of the re-
naming two, and they stood despond-
emily over the dead body of their com
| panion. l lifted my hand and hooked
! my fingers into Il stirrup swinging
| above my face, and ragged myself up,
Whitesock stood like a statue as I
scrambled TO my feet, and Their I
leaned upon the saddle, the scene be-
| fore me swaying in time to the keen.
! darting bursts Of pain which swept
through my head.
Some minutes passed thus, and
| voices came to my ear. I turned a rs
tie and saw with giddy Injurious ewes
a whole train Of figures Fastening
| toward us.
Then my mind cleared at a stroke as
I saw Enid burst from the throng, run
swiftly forward, and ling herself on
the earth beside Owain's body.
A confused babel of tongues arose,
some crying out in wonder and horror,
some demanding explanations. others
exchanging threats, for men of both
bands had come up. and the sight Of
their young leaders slain aroused saw
age wrath. / saw the tall old man who
had been in attendance upon Enid the
first time I met her, pointing and talk
ing furiously, and g~esticulating as if he
had witnessed the affair and was now
=