The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-01-15

1899. BY S. 8. Mcclure Ce.)
knew thai they had made the intervt a.
Ing distance sooner h ! had calcu-
lated. quickened a little, n then 9
little again, and now I was doing all
could. Had I been half q mile away.
so thatgone@Wild squirt would carrysMe
[in,g / could have one faster, but as
matters stood Idared attempt no more.
The road gently rose n dipped c l
again. + hung a tTsfe on the hill and
let myself out on the succeeding slope,
then came a long strip over 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, e The shining breastplate
marked the officer, who had outridden
his companion. He was mounted on q
tall white horse. and rocked easily In
the saddle as he was borne swiftly on.
The Dad ran squarely across the
healthy swells which marked this oun-
tryside, and now another slope lay be-
fore me. 1t was white as snow In the
sun, being deeply strewn with bright
quartz sand.
This made it dreadful travelling, but
I was a distinct gamer, for along the
side OF the road ran a narrow bank
with q smooth, grassy top. l bounded
up this, and went along as fast as be-
fore, while the deep clogging sand must
check the horse. It did so. for when
the bright figure Of my pursuer cleared
the rise above the sandI had improved
my lead considerably
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 h latter was; GER
tain I knew very well. I was not such
q novice In the understanding Of the
Ipowers OF a good horse as to buoy my
self UP with vain hopes OF escape; nor
did I give way anSinch. There is all
ways the unexpected to hope for. I
now had my first piece OF Ill luck, a
stretch OF rough, pebbly road; 4 escaped
without Gripping, but henceforth left
1t was about this time thatsI 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 longsto
maintain; my breath beganeto cone In
fierce pants, the sweat ran into my
eyes, hot and smarting, and into my
mouth, and tasted bitter or my parched
tongue. Soon I was driving myself
unsparingly, though every nerve and
muscle began to crave for rest.
I still had some strength, and I kept
1t to it's task. When IcOuld.I mot move
another step, then I would stop, not
until. Ny 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 It
my head seemed to sway and my body
to heave, yet I do not think 1 ran much
slower than my best.
I had no need now to urn my head.
1.-The steady thud OF the pursuing hoofs
came easily to my ear. All sorts of odd
fanctes swept across my mind; among
81 them tina I was pursued by Death on
a pale horse. and ! seemed to see a
grinning skull under the bright steel
cap, and neshless fingers clasped about
the htlt Of the shining sword.
Another wide dimple of the rolling
|country opened out&before me and I
saw q 5clump of hurrying mounted peo-
pie riding over the far ridge.
I knew them not, indeed. My eyes
were now SO misty that I made them
out but indistinctly, yet a9desire to find
myself among them and tmplore their
protection sprung up and htckered in
my heart. Every fiber Of my body was
now crying out against the grinding
torture I was enduring; my feet, from
(which the stockings had long been
torn, raw and bloody; l rocked
and sWayed as / ran, yet was resolved
upon reaching tho%e people, and I bah
bled to myself that&l would do SO as
{ made what speed was left in me.
/ was failing fast, and the white
horse swept closer and closer. Sudden
ly / saw q single rider darting toward
j me from the oncoming group. Scales
!, seemed to fall from my eyes and
knew horse \ rider. Whitesock was
y flying like an arrow, and Enid sat high
on the saddle, her hand outstrstched
as IL to hold back the swift pursuit o
j laundering at my heels.
II heard the, hoarse voice of the officer
{ calling on me to stop. It seemed as
lie it came from the sky, and / turned
: my head to see him towering above me
: I know not what wandering impulse
OF resistance caused me to draw my
knife, out I did, andaa at once his sgrea1
8 horse seemed to Ieap&at me like a huge
y beast of prey. i saw his flashing SWORD
: swing up and raised my feeble knife
to ward the coming blow; the weapon
: described a great, cleaning arc in thu
sunlight and descended with terrible
force, beating down my poor guard
! and stretching me along the turf.
Had he used the edge I had nevel
written this story, but, his only objec
5 being to capture me. he a given nj
: the flat Of his sword, n I was M
! more than bruised. As in a dream
saw Enid slide swiftly from the mar
: and run to me, her hands outstretched
: I made shift to smile as she flung her
: self down beside me and say I was no
hurt. Then up dashed Jack Locking
L Jack Locking. Of all men In HI world
7 and began to speak earnestly with tn
officer.
, Sheer rest, mere LYNX still, after tina
terrible spin, seemed an exquisite de
). light, though every muscle was strain
:. ed and aching. Enid held me close, AM
: whether I slept from exhaustion or be
came unconscious I cannot say, but
) lost sense OF my surroundings for
while. When / came to myself agatl
some time must have passed. for 81
9 John and his son had arrived. and Jacl
Locking was declaiming against then
: at the top OF his voice.
: "Warrants!" cried Jack, in grandes
: scorn; waste paper, Sir John, vast
paper! give them their proper mans
Do I not tell ye that George Monk ha
g declared in Londo for the king. You
y day is I'VE for ever. The whole coun
try Is In an uproar OF Joy as fast as tn
q news spreads. ] am the first man on