The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-11

his speed by patting and threatening
him in endearing terms, mingled with
laughter. She was thinking how the
people would stare.
At that moment she heard a rum
bling noice behind her. and on turning
her head she saw a locomotive and
train of cars coming toward her at a
high rate of speed. The wagon road
that Comanche was following ran par
allel with the railroad track and close
to it. The girl cast her eyes toward
Bronwood and 1t looked as If the two
roads ran side by side clear into the
town. To all appearances 1t was a
level plain and perfectly straight
tracks.
Now for a race!" she exclaimed, as
she gave the steer a smart cut with
her riding whip The shrek of the
locomotive sounded like a challenge,
and with blood warmed to exhiliration
by the excited situation she turned her
head and beckoned to the engineer to
come on. Noticing that many heads
were thrust from the windows of the
coaches her interest In the wild scene
was stimulated to frenzy, as she pic
tured herself racing by the BrownWood
depot ahead of an express train the
winner of the strangest race that a
madcap girl ever engaged in. She
struck Comanehe another rap, urging
him to the top Of his speed with sharp
ordinations.
The locomotive was now by her side
and the passengers were cheering with
wild enthusiasm. She saw men and
women clapping their hands. She
could hear the tumultuous hurrahs
above the grinding of the wheels. and
she could see hats and handkerchiefs
waved in the air.
They want me to beat" she ex-
claimed. and they will have my name
in the papers"
sharp whistle from the locomotive
attracted her attention, and when she
looked she noticed that she was forging
ahead, actually beating an express.
"Comanche is really a racer" was the
thought uppermost in ner mind, sud-
dendly replaced by a chill of horror.
In front of her and not many steps
away she saw something that nearly
CONCEALED her blood. The road made
sudden turn directly across the rail-
road track. A glance convinced her
that it was too late to check the speed
of the steer, and she knew that II
would be impossible to turn him or
force him to leave the road and go
straight forward. She felt confident
that Comanche would stick to the
road, and in that emergency, her only
hopes of escaping being mangled un-
der the wheels lay in her ability to
force the flying beast across the track
ahead of the engine.
She wondered If the engineer saw her
peril and whether he was trying to
stop his engine. A glance convinced
her that he was unconscious of the
approaching danger. He stood with
his hand on the lever gazing straight
ahead. But a second was left to the
girl to decide whether to try to guide
the steer or give him the lash. The
locomotive was behind, and the turn
in the road was under the steers nose.
The girl felt that he would stick to the
trail in spite of her puny arms. and
she struck him with all her strength,
shouting; go. go, Comanche!"
AS he sprang over the first rail she
was about to Shrek Saved" But,
horror Of horrors! The excited beast
caught a glimpse of the locomotive
and, snorting with terror, he turned
his head from It and bounded away
along the track with the engine at his
heels. The wonder is that the fright
ened girl did not fall helpless from the
back OF the foaming brute. Coura-
geous to the last, she chung to the
saddle and piled the lash 20 the steers
back. She heard the furious whistling
of the engine and she wondered IL its
speed ndQ SldCheHeu. sic Qlh iOb OhA
to turn her head. Horrors and mis-
fortunes appear to hunt in droves.
There was new dangers before and be-
hind the imperiled girl The fates
were enjoying a spite to repletton. The
air brakes refused to perform their Of
fee, and as If that were not enough
a cattle guard connecting line or
wire fence suddenly appeared unoer
the steers nose.
when 1 saw that awful obstacle,
says the young girl, IT closed my eyes.
abandoning all hope" With powerful
leap worthy of an antelope the noble
animal cleared the guard at a bound.
The rumbling Of the threatening
wheels sounded little more distant to
the girl and she caught her breath and
opened her eyes. Houses that seemed
TO he swimming in the air were near
her on both sides of the road. She saw
great crowds Of people running toward
the depot. which was not far away.
The awful noise and the continued
whistllng of the locomotive was still
close behind her, but surely not so
near. She dared to turn her head and
a shout of Joy burst from her lips She
was certainly widening the distance
between Comanche's heels and that
hideous cowcatcher.
Shaping the noble animal with the
palm of her hand she screamed: "Oh,
Comanche, save me-" He had already
done that. A wild hurrah that made
the earth trembe burst from the
threats of the great crowd that had
gathered at the depot as the white
steer covered with foam, shot by the
platform into the street, where he fell
to his knees, utterly exhausted. The
engine was none too far away.
The pretty girl was well known In
the town, and a multitude of friends
quickly assembled about her, eagerly
asking for information. They had seen
the wild race, but they could not make
out what it meant. To some persons
II looked as II the engineer was try
ing to run over the steer. They had
been unable to make out the object on
the animals back until he was near
the depot The badly frightened en-
glneer was quick to make an explana-
ton. When Comanche regained his feet
he put his nose against his mistress
to be petted. The crowd cheered the
faithful animal and everybody gave