The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-01-23

hithrr and thithcr; two compound
dots, mounted men. were swinging
wide about them The rumble grew
louder lnllcd, rose again. and above
the noise came the sound of dozen
shots, fired in quick succession.
Away back in his consciousness, Dnd-
ley began 10 regret that they had
chosen. in their young British inso-
lencc, 10 travel without "a guide, who
might explain TO them the strange
happenings Of this inconprehensiblc
country.
Justin started at the sound Of
frightened snort in his ear. lie
turned TO see his horses quivering in
every nerve. Almost before he could
catch its bride the near one was
plunging and pitching.
"Get the rcns,' yelled Justin;
"we'd best he out OF here"
The team broke into a dead run.
Looking back, Justin saw the cloud
ominously, frightfully near. a strug-
Cling advance guard of long-horns
heaved out before, and ahead of them
were two men. riding like demons,
vet ever beating backward as they
rode. Then the red veil fell. and
there was nothing but n dust cloud,
rolling on nearer and nearer
When the Englishmen were gone
Belle looked after their retreating
wagon and sighed. She was just real
ling, now that the week was past
and these clean. courteous, easy
moving beings Of another world were
gone, that she had been dreaming
dreams. Emilio looked also, some
| times after the wagon, sometimes
after the girl When he bent his gaze
on Belle he was serious enough, but
when his eye ran down the track of
| bloody dots, he drew his lips back
from his white teeth and smiled. He
was holding the reins of his roam
bronco; he dropped them to lean over
the fence and look up the road. away
| from the wagon.
"What is it that you see up there?'
she asked. carelessly, in Spanish.
Something that your white-haired
friend will be glad to see" he an.
severed. She looked, saw the dust
cloud coming, saw the little. cakine
pool of blood, and went white in &
moment.
That" she cried. that is what
your n.elope meant. You knew
that cattle were coming this way to
day"
"A thousand head passing up to thu
White river country. And wild, yer,
Wild"
They will trample them; xii
thcm."
'lou thought about that when yol
kissed him." he sneercd; the bloo'
goes straight and the wind is right
lie will have run for it--your lover.
Then the roar of padding feet wa
louder and the herd was coming
They were so yards away-and
great, white steer, horned in spler
dor, lowered his muzzle and believe
and tore the earth and shot out ]
advance. Another followed. and sti
another. each breaking into tina
rocking run, each one stretching on
his nostrils TO taste the polluted all
They plunged together over the littl
pool of blood; they rolled over an
over, horns tossing, feet stamping
Threats acclaim. The leaders GROVE
ed against the corral until its foo
wide posts bent and cracked.
: deafening roar, the below of tho,
sand mad cattle, and then nothin
but a tangled riot, speeding on an
on down the scent, thousand grea
horned hounds after their quarry.
1t was the blood stampede tina
makes half-wild cattle wholly d'
mons. \ clap of lightning. a sudde
shot, even the appearance Of Dir
mounted man. will send the mercuri;
herd rushing in panic fear; but l.
them once scent blood and all hell
: loosed in them. No pack of wolvs
!, follows with the relentless fury {
! range cattle on the trail of bloo
\ Huddcd by the barn. still shown
y his teeth. but half in fright, at II
n box of demons that he had opene'
7 the man who laid the trail knew q
; this. And the girl knew it best OF al
!. She was between him and his hors
= as she turned on him.
"You did this-you murderer
q II will CO." he said; Il will cut
e loose-it will stop the cattle"
"Yes-you. ! will go myself i
! Jumped at her as she sprang into h
saddle. She saw the movement. ii
q lariat hung at the saddle-horn. 81
e brought ii down on his wrist III
. same movement started the hig
T strung little roam. already a-quiv'
. with fear. His heels clattcrcd again
:. the bars; Belle. astride like ma
q her calico skirts tucked about III
y hips, was riding after the red clou
{. swinging wide into the sabc-brush
pass them.
u The roam had dash OF Il
r thoroughbred. He was the swifte
5 thing coursing that day in the fou
d corncrcd race between cattle, co..
r boys, hunted team, and woman. y
e he had 200 yards the worst Of b
start. But, like thoroughbred,
g caught the bit and shook out his da
II ple name, and laid his belly to 9
ii earth as he SKINNED. Over sag
brush. over trcachcrous ant-hil
= tangl;nr Oonh er-holes he Sped {