Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-01-02

couple OF fellows posted there with
muskets. which were trained upon me
Instantly. i had known all along that
Sir John was a wary old soldier whom
one did not easily out-manoeuvre and
1 recognized this as q characteristic
stroke. j checked Whitesock, and she
stood for 4 moment while I surveyed
the state of affairs at less than forty
yaFds' distance.
i was within easy shot, yet they
n1ade no offer to fire, and this cau-
lion showed the danger Of pushing
up0n them. Sir Johns followers had
smeft powder on too many a battle
field to be held cheaply, = ~ or
other Of as would set q buffet aha 4
was as unwilling IL should pc White
sock az myself. I turned aside and
swept across the open park once more
they never offered to check my flight
and L saw that i was to be taken alive
IL possible. The thud of the pursuing
steeds came hurrying at my back, and
II sent Whitesock along a little faster,
and glanced over my shoulder.
They were pounding stubbornly along
in my wake, hoping to corner me some
where when Il would be short work
between three men armed With sword
and pistol and one fiohrishing a guar
ter-staf. For the first time my heart
sank within me as I saw the position
~ which i stood. "A ten-foot pahng
could not stop me, and escape was
easy BY climbing; but Whitesock. poor
lass, must be left on the wrong size,
and / go out into the world on my tWo
feet. i cudgeled my brains for a gap
or break anywhere, but / could not
bring one to mind, nor do ] believe one
exists.
The last summer OF my grandfather's
life was spent In overlooking n re-
paling OF the park, the fancy for which
had struck him In the spring, and ne
devoted a whole grove Of oaks TO the
work, and made CT 1t q job to last a
hundred years.
i saw no other way or help for II, and
struck Off toward the southeastern cor
ner, putting Whitesock to h top OF
her speed. The park was dotted here
with thick clumps@of brushwood ana !
soon dropped my rearguard. 4 wheeled,
and showed myself as IL racing back
toward the house, then, In shelter Of 9
long narrow plantation, turned ana
went on my former road.
This would throw them out q good
ten minutes, for, through a gap, / had
seen them riding across to cut me on
as they expected, and so, when ! came
to the barrier, / was riding quite alone,
Had / had the necessary tools II would
have taken an hour or more TO make q
a In that huge solid fence sufficiently
for the mare to pass through; so, with
a heavy sigh, I tossed over my Qpar-
ter-staff and prepared to follow.
I gave her a few caresses, then
mounted the pales, an easy thing from
the inside, where the cross-bars formed
a ladder, dropped to the ground on the
other side and plunged into the heath
followed the narrow, open strips Of
grass running between cfumps or thorr
and bramble, and was lost to sight from
the park in a moment.
Whitesock's shrill whinny OF distress
AT being deserted went to my heart
and I plodded along In the worst cyl
case I had ever found myself. M
mare, no money, no weapons, active
foes behind me, and a country befort
where hiding would be another mattel
altogether TO my last refuge. The only
thing in my favor was that ! knew ey'
cry inch OF 1t, and could turn 1t to the
best ccou
Hereford" / thought, "f / can win
as far, there will be a chance for ms
yet" and in thought I ran over tn
route. oxford, too, am into my mind
for Roger had heard that Jack LOCKING
was there, his first harbor proving un'
safe. knew two or three places II
oxford, where knowledge Of my FRIENDS
quarters might be come at, for the cit!
was familiar to me. After sorne bal
ancing, however, / settled upon Here
ford, and began to play my march. Al
I walked / came to a rude track cross
ing the heath, and, following 1t for 20
yards, arrived at a point where !
forked into two branches.
One ran southwest and in that direc
ton lay Hereford, the other full south
east. The road was soft and sandy
aud along the southwestern path RAJ
two parallel lines of h~oof-narks. i re
membered that / had directed Ieual
and Dafydd his way and these mus
be the marks OF their ponies feet. On
set OF prints was not clean cut.
looked closer and saw that he pom,
was very lame.
As I raised my head / noticed q peas
ant at work in the heath not q away
His biH-hook rested idle In his han
| and he hailed me-, but / took 10 hee
Of him, and turned to the southeast.
pushed OH rapidly, running where tn
ground lay with me. walking fast else
where, and soon came to q high ridg
commanding the country | had ira
yersed. I looked back and saw n
! signs of pursuit, then hurried forwar
at a round pace.
Is -Four miles OF this travelling brough
me to the edge OF the heath, n tn
NIOdl .IEbn l0AA $500 $3.50 ANAN
1t took q sudden bend and twiste
through a farmyard, passing betwee
II the house and the barn. Crossing froT
tthe one to the other was q big, round
faced country fellow with a grea
wooden bucket In each hand. He stoo
ltat gaze when ne saw me, and eye
me In open-mouthed curiosity.
"A stranger. hatless and dishevelet
swinging a great quarter-stan as h
strode, was q sight worth looking q
and he took his I'LL. He was directl
in nv path, and I stared him straigh
in the ace. walked directly up to hin
snatched his hat from his head, clappe
n on my own, and marched away q
fast as / could. He never made
sound but stood there transfixed wit
establishment, gaping at me, pals !
hand.
turned and glanced back. He had jus
found his voice and was roaring on
his anger, but still he did not NOV,
and / left him there, a statue Of amaZe
ment. / am aware that this was usin
Thomas Buck-for / knew him we'll
very unfairly. But ! was playing
game for my life, and this foTcible boz
rowing Of a hat was an essential mov
IN that GENE.
wanted a hat very badly, and
wanted Thomas to remember and /
ready 10 testify that I had passed hi
way, and / had attained my ob5eS
fully. IA mile again / reached a littl
Inn, and the landlord stood at the doc
serving ale to a couple OF drGvers. "A
three looked very hard at me, but
slouched my hat and appeared to ayoi
1them. Six miles from Butley I arrive
at a little hamlet, where some wooe
were talking around q well.
In full sight OF them / turned &c III
/ left and travelled due east. The Ian
,about this part OF the country was a
uninclosed, and half a mile from tx
hamlet I turned aside and struck BAG
westward over the open country, NOV
| ing very carefully along tffs tower ley
els, and taking advantage OF ever
scrap Of cover.
TWO miles wary walking brought m
into the heath again, and L pursued IN