Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-08-15
BY JOHN rINNIMORE.

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 gal.
Top, and we went perhaps three mile:
before we were checked again.
A little more picking of the way, and
on turning a. corner, behold a ligh
shining, as from a easement, half
mile ahead. 1t was the inn, md, a!
we rode up, l glanced eagerly through
the uncurtained window. In front oi
a huge peat fire stood the dwarf, look
Ing around with q spiteful smile upon
three or four frightened looking coun
try fellows, who We're seated upon q
long settle.
As l gazed, one OF them rose and
went toward the door. The dwarf
made a gesture, as II ordering him
back, n the man returned and sat
down without dispute. There was no
sign OF the forms for which | looked,
but they might easily be elsewhere.
nor could l see any trace OF the pike
men. AIy companion sprang from his
pony n ran eagerly into the house.
Upon the other side OF the yard was an
open door, and, inside, a lantern dim
~ burning.
Without ~dismountlng turned
Whitesock toward It anl hrust in my
head. 1t was tho stable, empty but
for two ponies, and those, az / 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. J
felt perfectly certain that the pikemen
were somewhere In front Of me with
their prey, and, after going gently for
q hundred yards over n soft, muddy
piece, l "a Whitesock her head.
For a single fields length from the
Inn the and was enclosed, then the
road was as usual, owe open noun
tain, and here the smooth, springy
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 we'll 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 q lookout in front and on either
hand.
l had gone thus for perhaps q mile,
when 1 fancied that l heard a faint
sound, as Of q blinking hoof. l pulled
up at once and sat listening. 1t anne
again, and clearer still, now that the
soft thud Of Whltesock's feet upon the
turf no longer filed my ear. But II
came from a point to the left OF the
road-from q direction where a sharp
ly rising hill thrust itself so far into
the sky that the moon had only just
cleared IT, the rim of the yellow disc
resting on the crow Of the ascent.
Click, click, click! Certainly the
rattle Of ponies feet over q stony
patch, and nov there rose straight up
against the moon q bunch Of figures.
1NhaNr 1, yrtAyv a ,,,arA iNafpf NJ 1,ta4
as they crossed the ridge. 1t seemed
as If the hill thrust them in again. /
never doubted for an instant who they
were, and turned Whitsock up the
rise, which she climbed with easy
stride.
AS we neared the top of the hill l
sprang down and led her a little TO one
side Of the stony patch which l saw
shining white before us. The other
side Of the hill lay in full moonlight,
and, peering over the crest, l found
myself gazing down a long, gentle
slope, the dark patch Of moving figures
some distance away. l climbed into
the sadie again and went down upon
them at a swift canter. As l drew
near l saw two ponies, each with q fe-
male figure seated upon 1t, one ragged
pikeman walking between them hold
ing a rein Of each pony, the other two
marching o either side.
With the advantage Of my horse and
eapon | had bu 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 l closed upon
them unnoticed. Whitesock moved -
lightly as q rare over the soft, sprlngy
turf. The nan on the night hand car
ried n pike on either shoulder, AZ hls
fellow between the ponies had both
hands occupied. I therefore marked
the left hand pikeman. and drove the
mare down on him at Il swinging gal
lop.
l was within twenty yards Of them
before they turned their heads. They
raised a cry Of triumph, thinking,
doubtless. that / 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 ross 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 relns and leaped for his pike.
The captives had risen instantly to
the situation n made a dash for
freedom, and I turned TO confront two
sturdy fellows, their pixies ready for
action, and to see the ponies securing
away to tho 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. l
looked over my shoulder TO find the
spearmen bounding after me like grey
hounds, and the third mar slowly get
ting to his feet. I drew a pistol and
fred It over their heads. They took
the hint and drew off at once. In three
minutes l 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. We
seem fated to get into difficulties on
this journey"
at Is travellers luck" said l. and
in these unsettled days one cannot be
surprised at any length to which the
daring OF these rogues and footpads
carries them. But who We're these
men?"
IT am not entirely sure" she replied;
"but I believe we have fallen into the
danger against which - she paused
for @ moment, then added, the danger
Of which we heard in town."
you were very kind" said /, land
I see that you had good grounds for
that of which you spoke. ] do not
see your nan Has anything happened
to him2'
NO" she replied; I'VE left him be-
hind this morning. He was still suffer-
ing from the Ill effects OF yesterdays
adventure. and I bade him remain and
rest for a day or two; and besides, n
nnnLot hnd mt arrirnd uthInh No ~