Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-01-17
CHAPTER xI-coNr1NUED.
Author Of "Eben Holden"


They were no sooner out Of sight
than pulled the stake and saber, and
showed the latter under my big coat
Then lifted the beaver and looked
about me. There was not soul in
sight. From that level plain the field
ran far to thick wood mounting over
the hill. I moved cautiously that way,
for l was in the path Of people who
would be coming to see the wreck.
l got near the edge OF the distant
wood, and hearing q noise, halted,
and stuck my stake, and drew my
hands back In the sleeves, and
stood like q scarecrow, peering
through my hat. Near me, in the
woods, / could hear the cracking Of
sticks and q low voice. Shortly two
Irishmen stuck their heads out Of a
bush. My heart gave leap in me,
for 1 saw they were members Of my
troop.
Hello, there!" / called in q loud
voice.
It startled them. They turned their
heads to see where the voice came
from, and stood motionless. pulled
my stake and made for them on the
run. I should have known better,
for the sight of me would have tried
the legs Of the best trooper that ever
sat In q saddle. AS they told me after
ward, 1t was enough to make lion
yelp.
"Holy Mother!" said one, as they
broke through the bush, running for
their lives. 1 knew not their names,
but called them as loudly as I dared.
They went on, never Stacking pace. 1t
was a bad 60, for I was burning for
news of D'ri and the rest Of them.
Now I could hear some heavy animal
bounding in the brush as II their run
ming had startled him. l went back to
the corn for another stand. Suddenly
a horse came up near me, cropping the
brush. I saw he was one on the boat
for he had bride and saddle, g. rein
hanging In two strings. and was badly
cut. My friend! the sight Of a horse
did warm me to the toes. He got
taste of the tender corn presently, and
came toward me as he ate. In mo-
ment jumped to the saddle, and he
went away leaping like wild deer.
He could not have been more fright
ened II l had dropped on him out OF
the sky. l never saw such energy In
flesh and blood before. He took q
mighty fright as my hand went to his
withers, but the other had grip on
the pommel, and I made the stirrups.
/ leaned for the strings Of the reign.
but his neck was long. and l could not
reach them. Before ! knew 1t we Xere
tearing over a hill at a merry pace,
/ can tell you. I was never so put to
II for the right thing to do, but /
chung on. The big hat shook down
upon my collar. In all my life / had
never saw a hat so big. Through the
break in 1t I could see farmhouse.
In q jiffy the horse had cleared q
fence, and was running, with the feet
of terror, in a dusty road. l grew an
cry at myself as we tore along
knew not why. It was q rage OF dis
comfort, fancy, for somehow, never
felt so bounded and cluttered, so up IN
the air and out Of place in my body
The saber was working loose and
hammering my knee; the big hat was
rubbing my nose, the straw channe
my chin. had something under my
arm that would sway and whack the
side of the horse every leap he made
/ bore upon it hard, as II it were the
Jewel Of my soul. I wondered why
and what 1t might be. In a moment
the big hole of my hat came into con-
junction with my right eye. On my
word, 1t was the stake! How 1t came
there I have never known, but, FOL
some reason I held to it. looked
neither to right nor left, but sat erect
one hand on the hilt Of my saber, thu
other in the name Of the horse, know
ing full we'll I was the most hideous
looking cres ture in the world. II
had come to the gate Of heaven / be
lieve st. Peter would have droppes
his keys. The straw worked up, ant
a great wad of 1t hung under my chiI
like bushy beard. / would have Civ
en- anything for a sight Of myself, ant
laughed to think Of 1t, although fac
ing a deadly peril, as I knew. But
was young and had no fear In mt
those days. Would that a man could
have his youth on his death-bed! /
was leap in the dark, but wa
ready to take my chances.
Evidently I was nearing a village
Groups of men were in the shad!
thoroughfare; children thronged tn
dooryards. There was every sign Of
holiday, AS we neared them l caugh
my saber under my knee, and drew
my hands into the long sleeves an,
waved them wildly, whooping like al
Indian. They ran back to the fence
with a start Of fear. AS passed then
they cheered loudly, waving their hat
and roaring with laughter. An oil
horse, standing before an inn, 6rok
his halter and crashed over fence
A scared dog ran for his life In from
Of me, yelping as he leaped over
stone wall. Geese and turkeys flew i
the air as l neared them. The peopl
had seemed to take me for some vii
lage youth on masquerade. W
flashed into the open country befor
the sound of cheering had died away
On We went over long strip of har
soil, between fields, and off in tn
shade Of a thick forest. My horse be
gan to tire. l tried to cali
him by gentle words, but
could give him no confidence in m'
He kept on. laboring hard an
breathing heavily, as II were ton
weight. We came to another clearin
and fields Of corn. A little out Of tn
woods. and near the road, was a 10
house white-washed from earth {
caves. BY the gate my horse wer
down. l tumbled heavily in the roat
and turning, caught him by the bit
The big hat had shot of my head; tn
straw had fallen away. A woman cam
running out Of the open door. She ha
hare feet. a plump and CHEEKY face.
.tNE.A