The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-09-04


herself. He smiled gayly back, and I
would not have. changed the compan-
ionship OF those two brave souls for
any situation the world could offer.
The barking as Of q fox had been left
far behind. AS soon as we burst out to
our gallop, 1t had beer changed for
notes Of far other import-a long, wall
ing cry, very shrill, and followed by
a faint far-off echo, as IL it had been
repeated at q great distance.
OF a sudden we galloped out Of the
mist n saw before us h steep sides
and narrow mouth of the. cwm clear
against a saffron sky. We were riding
westward, and though the sun was
down h sky was filled with the after
glow.
The wonderful purity and clearness Of
the mountain air after rain caused
every object which broke into the sky
n to stand out with an inky black
ness upon the shining background.
Ais clear ahead" cried I.
THAT. is to say, we can see nothing"
returned 0wain, cautiously. But in a
v running figures appeared IN the
brow Of the right hand cliff, darted
down the slope and paused.
They are stopping" said l., I'VE
shal win the race easily" 4
Faster. ride faster, gallop before
mel" cried owain. quickly, t mouth
of the cwm narrows so that we must
go in single file. On, on. or it will be
blocked against us"
I CAV Whitesock her head, as I per-
ceived what the Red Men Of the Dusk
We're doing. A great boulder lay tilted
above the mouth of the glen, as If
a fingers touch would topple 1t over.
and, as I looked, I saw it rock and
sway against the sky. Then I gave a
CrV of low FOR tho mouth of tho nov.
row valley, set between two portals
Of rock appeared close. before u.s., but
Owain echoed my cry with a loude and
shriller one.
Draw rein!" he screamed. Holds!
Hold" .Instinctively I obeyed him. and
Whttesock fell back upon her launches.
Nothing but her ready obedience saved
US. Looking W my throat became dry
with terror at the fate which seemed
to hang over us. With dull, horrible
thuds, the great boulder was leaping
down the steep grassy slope. AS 1t
came 1t twirled M spun, glancing a
little on one side or h other as 1t
pitched on the faces set at various
angles. Terrific as was its speed, It
seemed to me an endless time in fall
ing. Its bounds and twistings gave it
another character from thai Of a rude
~insensate block Of stone. 1t seemed a
great formless monster leaping down
| Apo1l US, dlu CALCULATING every IT,
cochet to include us in it's path.
A group of graceful young mountain
ashes stood in it's way; it sprang upon
them and blotted them from the noun
tain side. Unused to judging such
things. its course seemed to me to be
laid directly for us; and only 0wain's
swift command to stand still kept me
chained to the spot. With a crash that
shook the earth under our feet, the
mighty rock leaped into the mouth of
the glen not a dozen yards before us,
made one clumsy bound up the farther
bank, then dropped heavily back, block
Ing the path from side to side.
"We are shut in" cried owain.
Shut I'M" I laughed, and begged
Miss Vaughan to cling firmly to me.
I picked Whitesock up and sent her at
the great sprawling stone. She took
half a dozen tremendous strides, threw
her ears forward, rose to the leap,
and cleared the boulder without a
touch; flying through the air as light
ly and dropping on her feet as lightly
and easily as though she knew that we
In the saddle needed all that she could
do to help us. I turned my head and
saw 0wain dismounted; and scrambling
over after us. He kicked off his riding
boots n began to run like a deer.
Our enemies were running, too, and,
glancfng up the hill, I saw one of them
already near enough to poise a spear.
I touched Whitesock and away she
darted, Just in time, as the spear
whizzed at my back.
Owain seized a stirrup leather and
with hat assistance ran faster still.
He was in his stockings, but the grass
was like velvet. I drew a pistol and
fired a shot almost at random. It
served, however, to check the pursuit,
and soc1 we were travelling over a wide
down, where, even in the falling light,
we could not easily be approached.
You have left your horse" I said.
Yes" replied Owain. HE runs well
but is nc Jumper. I saw there was
nothing else for+it after the swallow
fashion In which your mare went over
But what Is that? Some one is riding
after u.s."
He reached up to my nearest holster
and took a pistol, then turned and
peered through the dusk. I laid my
hand on my sword, for the other pistol
was empty, but Owain began to laugh
II am in luck" said he, "for 1 have
no boots, n within 1--we minutes WE
shall be On the stones"
AS he spoke, up galloped Ends pony
neighing for joy to see it's friends once
more.
'However could it pass that block
when the tall horse refused the leap?'
I asked.
"Scxamble over like a cat" said
owain, leaping into the saddle;
lures thai run on -four legs"
We trotted rapidly on again, and
within half an hour were safely back
al Plas Nant.
Continued Next Weekly
Where Blood Tells.
New York Times: It was in one of the