Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-10-06
Suddenly u bullet SANG past, missing
.J0hnnus head a. bare inch.

In q twinkling he had scrambled UP
and was out on the road. There ne let
his single rein fall loose. Damsel her
self must choose the way. Once she
was settled in the course he knew he
could come up with the robber. The
others had been drugged. no doubt.
He recalled that Robin had made them
drink after supper from his pocket
flask. Johnny had refused the offered
dram because he had promised Miss
Alice never to drink until he was twen-
ty-one. Miss Alice! He was going to
bring back the bell mare and save the
drove-for her. She said ingratitude
! was the backest sin Of all, so he could
not let himself be ungrateful.
From the big meadow the trace ran
south straight and almost level for ten
miles. Then 1t branched. one fork
leading into the foothills that twenty
miles farther on were mountains. the
other keeping well to the plains. Dam
sci whickered three times, turning her
head now this way. now that, listened
breath's space, snorted. then struck
into trot and went due south. An
owl flew across the way, little higher
than Johnny's head, hooting loudly. Its
eyes showing fiery in the dusk. In the
dark woods, either hand, there were
long CLEANS of fox fire. Mists rose
white from the damp places, crickets
shrilled, and whippoorwills sent out
their weird crying.
Johnny was superstitious. He had
no fear whatever Of Lucas Robin, but
the owl, the fox fire. the whippoorwill
daunted him. He was about to turn
back. but as he pondered 1t choice left
him. Behind him, through the starlit
dusk, there sounded the thunder of 200
hoofs, following a new leader to seek
out the old. Damsel was galloping
ea silly. As she caught the noise behind
she swung into n dead run. Johnny
could do nothing but sit still, keep her
head up and let her run. The drove
was in mad stampede. II he tried to
turn back 1t would trample him.
On, on they flew, mile after mile. yet
still the weighted racer led the un-
weighted ones. In that free course, as
upon all others, blood told. Before
half Of it was past only the pick OF the
drove ran hot upon the young mares
heels. Johnny sat far forward. His
terrors had left him. He had caught
the spirit of the race and was ready
for any fate. Once when he heard
lone cock crow faint and far off he an
swered with quavering yell. Once,
too, a fox barked, and lie Knocked 1t
with q shriller bay. Damsel swerved
little as she heard the crying. Thus
gray Glider ran up to her and even got
half a length in front. Johnny flung
himself prone along her neck and
shouted in her ear, shrill. sweet, half
articulate. maddeningly clear. She
knew the call and answered it gallant
". In three bounds she was clear OF
| the gray, running strong and free, as
though she never meant to stop. A
hundred yards farther on she neighed
joyously. Johnny's heart came in his
mouth, for down wind, low and keen,
he heard an answering neigh.
He was coming up with the thief,
with Lightly. What should he, what
could lie. do? He had clasp knife In
his belt. Otherwise he was unarmed.
Still he did not despair. II the man
led Lightly instead Of riding her she
would break from him and come back
to the drove when she heard Johnny's
call. Then he must mount her and ride
for 1t. She would run for him as for
nobody else in the world. White Foot,
the tagged chestnut, would never catch
her. OF course there was the chance
that Lucas Robin might shoot-maybe
that was what the owl and the fox fire
and the whippoorwill had meant-but
It was too late now to change any.
thing. Doggedly he rode on, conscious
of nothing but that he meant to save
the horses because, in way, they be-
longed to Miss Alice.
Dawn broke red and clear. The wind
freshened. Suddenly a bullet sang