The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-15

,pyright 1899. BY 8. 8. Mcclure CAY
Jxnew that they had made the interv l.
ing distance ooner than I had caieu-
lated. I Quickened :. little, and then q
little again. and now 1 was doing all ]
could. Had I been half a mile away,
so that n Wild squirt would carry me
in, I could have gone faster, but as
matters stood I dared attempt no more,
The road gently rose and dipped once
again. l hung a tribe on the hill and
let myself out on the succeeding slope,
then came a long strip owe q dead
level.
At the end of this I glanced back.
Sir John was now the hindmost, and
the leading horseman had drawn terri
bly, near. The shining breastplate
marked the officer. who had outridden
his companion. He was mounted on a
tall white horse. Inc rocked easily in
the saddle as he was borne swiftly on.
The road ran squarely across the
healthy swells which marked this coun-
tryside, n now another slope lay be-
fore me. It was white as snow in the
sun. being deeply strewn with bright
quartz sand.
This made 1t dreadful travelling. but
l was a distinct gamer. for along the
side OF the road ran a narrow bank
with a smooth, grass top. I bounded
up this, and went along as fast as be-
fore, while the deep clogging sand must
cneck the horse. It did so, for when
the bright figure Of my pursuer cleared
the rise above the sand / had improved
my lead considerably.
I began now to calculate, as a mat
ter almost of pure Indifference to my
self, how far I should get before I was
caught For that the latter was GER
tain I knew very well. I was not such
q novice in the understanding Of the
powers OF a good horse as to buoy my
self up with vain hopes of escape; nor
ways the unexpected to hope for. I
now had my fret piece Of i'll luck. a
stretch OF rough, pebbly road; l escaped
without Gripping. but henceforth left
a stain Of blood wherever l set my foot.
It was about this time that I began to
feel that the strain of my first burst
was rapidly eating into my strength.
Almost unconsciously the creeping
up Of my pursuer had driven me to a
speed which it was impossible long to
maintain; my breath began to come in
fierce pants, the sweat ran Into my
eyes, hot and smarting, n into my
mouth, and tasted bitter on my parched
tongue. Soon I was driving myself
unsparingly, though every nerve and
bSooAA NSNSAoN ASSe
I still had some strength, and / kept
1t to Its task. When I could not move
another step, then I would stop, not
until. My clothes were drenched with
sweat and chung tight. like strangling
bands, about my body and limbs; my
heart thumped my ribs like a hammer;
with every swift rush Of blood from 1t
my head seemed to sway n my body
to heave, yet I do not think an much
slower than my best.
I had no need now to turn my head.
The steady thud Of the pursuing hoofs
came easily TO my ear. All sorts OF odd
fancies swept across my mind; among
them that I was pursued by Death on
a pale horse, and l seemed to see a
grinning skull unde the bright steel
cap, and fleshless fingers clasped about
the hilt OF the shining sword.
Another wide dimple of the rolling
country opened before me and I
saw a clump OF h%urrying mounted peo-
pie riding over h far ridge.
I knew them not, indeed. My eyes
were now so misty that I made them
out u i~ndistlnctly, yet a desire to find
myself among them and implore their
my heart. Every fber 81 my body was
now crying out against the grinding
torture I was enduring; my feet, from
which the stockings had long been
torn, were raw and bloody; I rocked
and swayed as I ran, yet vas resolved
upon reaching tho-e people, and 1 bab-
bled to myself that I would do so as
I made what speed was left in me.
I was failing fast, and the white
horse swept closer and closer. Sudden
Iy 1 saw a single rider darling toward
mo from the oncoming group. Scales
seemed to fall from my eyes n I
knew horse and rider. Whitesock was
flying like an arrow, and Enid sat high
on the saddle, her hand outStretched,
as IL to hold back the swift pursuit now
laundering at my heels.
I heard the hoarse voice of the officer
calling on me to stop. 1t seemed as
II 1t came from the sky, and / turned
my head to see him towering above me.
HI know not what wandering impulse
of resistance caused me to draw my
knife, but I did, and at once his great
horse seemed to leap at me like a huge
beast Of prey. l saw his flashing sword
swing UP, n raised my feeble knife
to ward the coming blow; the weapon
described a great. cleaning arc in the
sunlight and descended with terrible
force, beating down my poor guard,
and stretching me along the turf.
Had he used the edge I had never
written this story, but, his only object
being to capture me, he had given me
A SAA0 q VI ~ WA AA0 1 "dS 4
more than bruised. AS in a dream i
saw Enid slide swiftly from the mare
and run to me, her hands outstretched.
I made shift to smile as she flung her
self down beside me and say I was not
hurt. Then up dashed JAG Locking
Jack Locking, OF all men in the world,
and began to speak earnestly with the
officer.
Sheer rest, mere LYNX still. after that
terrible spin, seemed an exquisite de-
light, though every muscle was strain
ed and aching. Enid held me close, and
whether I slept from exhaustion or be-
came unconscious I cannot say, but ]
lost sense Of my surroundings for q
while. When I came to myself again
some time must have passed, for Sir
John and his son had arrived, and Jack
Locking was declaiming against them
at the top of his voice.
"Warrants!" cried Jack, in grandest
scorn; waste. paper, Sir John, waste
paper! give them their proper name.
Do I not tell We that George Monk has
declared in London for the king. Your
day is over for ever. The whole coun-
try is in an uproar Of joy as fast as the
news spreads. I am the first man out
1 ~ Ovfnrd u,J%b a. tb{o ~ T,,rt n ftar