The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-04-05
CHAPTER XXII.-(Continued.)

over my right shoulder, saw a green ban
ner waving on the crest of the road, and
gather'd about it the vanguard of the
troop-some score of dragons; and
these, having caught sight of us, were
pausing a moment to watch.
The shout presently was follow'd by
another; to which l made no answer but
held on my way, with the nose of Delia's
horse now level with my stirrup; for /
guessed that my dress had already be-
trayed us. And this was the case; for
at the next glance l saw five or six dra-
goons detach themselves from the main
body, and gallop in a direction at an
acute angle TO ours. On they came, yell
ing to us to halt, and scattering over the
moor to intercept us.
Not choosing, however, to be driven
eastward, | kept a straight course and
trusted to our horses leetness to carry us
by them, out OF reach of their shot. In
the pause of their first surprise we had
stolen two hundred yards more. l count
ed and found eight men thus in pursuit
OF us; and to my JOY heard the bugle
blown again, and saw the rest of the
troop move steadily along the road with
out intention to follow. Doubtless the
lCNc VI lhG SOIilSH SuCCtSS HlduS lltlIl
wary of their good order.
Still, eight men were enough to run
from; and now the nearest let fly with
his piece-more 70 brighten us, belize,
than with any other view, for we were
far out of range. But it grew clear that
if we held on our direction they must cut
us off.
Only now with good hope | saw a hill
rising not half a mile in front, and some
what to the right Of our course, and,
thought |, IF we can gain the hollow to
the left of it, and put the hill between
us, they must ride over it, or round-in
either case losing much time" So, point
ing this out to Della, who rode on my
left, | drove my spurs deep and called
to Molly to make her best pace.
The enemy divin'd our purpose; and in
a minute twas a desperate race for the
entrance to the hollow. But our horses
were the faster, and we the lighter rid
ers; so that we won, with thirty yards
to spare, from the foremost-not without
damage, however, for, finding himself
baked, he sent a bullet at us which near
ly cut through my rein, so that my bride
was henceforward useless, and / could
guide Molly with knee and voice alone.
Down the hollow we raced, with three
Dragons at our heels, the rest going
round the hill. But they did little good
by so doing, for after the hollow came
a broad, dismal sheet of water, about a
mile round and bank'd with black peat.
Galloping along the left shore of this,
we cut them off by near half a mile. Blu
the three behind followed doggedly,
though dropping back with every stride.
Beyond the pool came a green valley,
and a stream flowing down it, which we
jump'd easily. CHANGING at Della as she
landed on the further side, l noted that
her cheeks were glowing and her brimful
Of mirth.
Say, Jack" she cried, sis not his bet
ter than love Of womenT"
"In heavens name" l called out,
take care!"
But twas too late. The green valley
here melted into a ~treacherous bog, in
the which her bay was already plunging
over his fetlocks and every moment sink
ing deeper.
Throw me the rein!" l shouted. and,
catching the bride close by the bit,
lean'd over and tried to drag the horse
forward. By this Molly also was over
hoofs in liquid mud. For a minute and
more we heav'd and splashed, and all the
while the Dragons, seeing our fix, were
shouting and drawing nearer and nearer.
But just as a brace of bullets splashed
into the slough at our feet we staggered
to the harder slope and were gaining on
them again. So for twenty minutes along
the spurs of the hills we held on, the
enemy falling back and hidden, every
now and again, in the hollows-but al
ways following; at the end Of which time
Della calrd from just behind me:
Jack, here's a to-do; the bay is going
lame.'
There was no doubt of it. 1 suppose
he must have wrung his off hind leg in
fighting through the quag. Any way,
ten minutes more would see the end of
his gallop. But at this moment we had
won to the top of a stiff ascent, and now,
looking down at our feet, 1 had the joy
fullest surprise.
Twas the moor of Temple spread be-
low like a map, the low sun striking on
the ruin'd huts to the left of us, on the
roof of Joan's cottage, ON the scar of
the high road and the sides of the tall
tor above it. .
'In ten minutes" said /, 1--WE may be
safe"
So down into the plain we hurried; and
l thought for the first time Of the loyal
girl waiting in the cottage yonder, Of my
former ride into Temple, and Of the
light heart with which / left it.
Past the peat-ricks we struggled, the
~sheep-cotes, the struggling fences-all so
familiar; cross'd the stream and rode into
the yard.
Jump down." / Whispered; "we have
time, and no more" CHANGING back. /
saw a couple Of Dragons already coming
over the heights. They had spied us.
Dismounting, / ran to thu cottage door
and flung IL omen A stream of lipht