The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-08-21
Godfrey Heathcote, Esq .
by JOHN fiNNlffORE Copyright by
BY JOHN FINNlMoRE.

When we reached the top of the long
rise and came into the moonshine
again, l found to my Joy that the road
was clean underfoot, and touched
Whitesock with my heel. She broke
into her long, easy trot, the little pony
at her side stretching away at the gall
lop' and we went perhaps three miles
before we were checked again.
A little more picking of the way, and
on turning corner, behold a light
shining, as from a easement, half n
mile ahead. 1t was the inn, and, as
we rode up, glanced eagerly through
the uncurtatned window. In front Of
a huge peat fire stood the dwarf, look
Ing around with spiteful smile upon
three or four frightened looking coun-
try fellows, who were seated upon q
long settle.
AS I gazed. one of them rose and
went toward the door. The dwarf
made a gesture, as If ordering him
! back, and the man returned and sat
down without dispute. There was no
sign of the forms for which I looked,
but they might easily be elsewhere.
| nor could l see any trace of the pike
men. My companion sprang from his
pony and ran eagerly into the house.
Upon the other side of the yard was an
| opCA oooi, anu, lISlue, d lantern Olln-
ly burning.
Without dismounting turned
Wh1tesock toward it AMI thrust in my
head. 1t was the stable, empty but
for two ponies, and those, as L saw at
a glance, larger than the animals for
which I was searching.
l drew the right hand hand rein and
rode softly back to the highway.
| felt perfectly certain that the pikemen
were somewhere in front of me with
their prey, and, after going gently for
a hundred yards over a soft, muddy
piece, gave Whitesock her head.
For single fields length from the
inn the land was enclosed, then the
road was as usual, over open noun
turf ran to the edge of the way. Turn
ing Whitesock to the turf, away she
went at a gallop, her head down, her
big, keen, bright eyes watching every
yard Of the path
The moon was now well up and
poured her rays almost like day
| through the thin, clear frosty air. ]
sat bolt upright in the saddle, left
searching out the road to the mare, and
| kept a lookout in front and on either
| hand
- had gone thus for perhaps a mile,
4 when I fancied that I heard faint
sound, as of blinking hoof. I pulled
| up at once and sat listening. 1t came
again, and clearer still. now that the
soft thud of whitesock.s feet upon the
turf no longer filled my ear. But II
came from a point to the left Of the
oad-from direction where a sharp
ly rising hill thrust itself SO far into
the sky that the moon had only just
cleared 1t, the rim Of the yellow disc
| resting on the crown of the ascent.
| Click, click, click! Certainly the
| rattle of rOnias' over q stony
, patch, and now there rose straight up
| against the moon a bunch of figures
| They were in view a mere instant, just
as they crossed the ridge. 1t seemed
as If the hill thrust them in again.
never doubted for an instant who they
! RISE which she climbed with easy
stride.
AS we neared the top of the hill
| sprang down and led her little to one
side Of the stony patch which I saw
shining white before u.s. The other
side OF the hill lay in full moonlight,
and, peering over the crest, I found
slope, the dark patch Of moving figures
some distance away. climbed Into
/ the sadie again and went down upon
them at swift center. AS I drew
! near saw two ponies, each with a fe-
/ male figure seated upon it. one ragged
! pikeman walking between them hold
| Ing a rein of each pony, the other two
! marching on either side.
With the advantage Of my horse and
weapons, had but little uneasiness
| as to driving the rascals off, but, as 1t
| happened, the task turned out very
| simple. For they were singing, or
rather chanting, a mournful, wailing
| air as they marched, and closed upon
| them unnoticed. Whitesock moved as
| lightly as q hare over the soft, springy
turf. The man on the right hand car
ried d pike on either shoulder, as his
fellow between the ponies had both
hands occupied. I therefore marked
the left hand pikeman, and drove the
mare down on him at swinging gal
lop.
I was within twenty yards of them
before they turned their heads. They
raised a cry of triumph, thinking,
| doubtless, that I was the tall man.
their leader. The cry was hardly out
of their throats when Whitesock
struck the pikeman like a thunder
bolt and hurled him a dozen yards,
her knees, as she rose to the gallop,
picking him clean off his feet. At a
touch of the rein she wheeled round,
but in that mere instant much had
happened.
The fellow in the middle had dropped
the reins and leaped for his pike.
The CapLlVeS naQ risen instantly TO
the situation and made a dash for
freedom, and turned to confront two
sturdy fellows, their pixies ready for
action, and to see the ponies securing
away to the right to regain the road.
AS had no fancy for pinking White
socks satin coat upon those keenly
whetted points, I rode round them and
followed the retreating couple. I
looked over my shoulder to find the
spearmen bounding after me like grey
hounds, and the third man slowly get
ting to his feet. I drew a pistol and
fired it over their heads. They took
the hint and drew off at once. In three
minutes was up with the flying fig
ureS.
do not press your animals too
hard" I cried. You are safe now, I
think. Those fellows are not following
u.s."
They drew rein, greatly to the relief
of the painting little creatures under
them, and we went at an easy pace up
the last stretch Of the long slope.
you have come to our rescue once
more, and we thank you again and
again. said the nearer rider. I'VE
seem fated to get into difficulties on
this journey"
''It is travellers luck said I. "and
in these unsettled days one cannot be
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