Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-06-08

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then eeek to capture him alive. 1t
took weeks to finish the rest OF the
drove. When the horses found death
on their trail they left the broad pas
lures and sought the green coves,
making far into the mountains. They
spread out so as to leave no trail and
ceased to whinny. By day they hid
themselves among the pines and ce-
dars and came out only at night to
feed.
The mountain lions aided the hunt
ers. They ambushed horse after horse
and pulled them down, and the fierce
timber wolves kept the living IN a
state of terror. To the north were
the cattlemen; to the south advancing
civilization. The poor horses were
hemmed between.
By and by the hunters gleetully
reported that only one horse was lett
the black leader. He could not
have escaped bullets had they been
minded to shoot him, but he had out
witted the wolves and the lions, and
when his last campanion went down
he uttered d shrill neigh Of defiance
and vanished in the distance. Word
was sent up and down the valley that
he was 10 be hunted to his capture.
The cowboys would have nothing to
do with it, but there were score OF
others who entered into the chase
gleefully and greedilY. The man who
captured the black horse could put
his own price on him.
The plan of campaign was for men
to station themselves up and down
the valley at intervals, and to keep
the black horse moving until he fell
from exhaustion. 1t would seem al
most as if the summer breeze whis-
pered the plans of men in his ears.
He disappeared as if the earth had
swallowed him up, and he was not
to be found for mouth. Then one
day a man penetrated wild dark
gorge leading into the mountain, and
when he had followed it for a quarter
of mile 1t debouched into cove ten
acres in extent. Water and grass
were plentiful and the black horse
had lived in safety On the grass
lay the decaying bodies Of the four
timber wolves who had met death
while trying to pull him down. He
had courage as well as beauty.
The presence OF the man drove the
horse out in the valley, and then the
chase was taken up. 1t began one
morning at daylight.
The chase was cruel, and later on
led to quarrels wherein men lost their
lives. For five miles each hunter
pursued the black horse at top speed,
and then he rested. Confident of his
speed and strength, the lone horse
moved off with defiant air. There
was not moment 3 rest for him all
day long. Three OF four times he
buried his muzzle in the ice.cold
waters of the creeks as be came to
them. The coming night gave him
no relief. 1t was moonlight and the
chase still continued.
For 10 miles the black horse held
his course up the valley. Then he
turned and retraced his steps. Again
he went up the valley, but when he
had covered,50 miles he stopped and
stood at bay. He had done all that
a horse could do, and more. He had
covered 100 miles of distance almost
without breaking his gait. When he
stopped signals were given for the
men above and below to close in, and
by and by there were a dozen in a
circle aroud him. Lassoes were made
ready, but the men qIarreled among
themselves as to who had the best
right While the war of words was
going on the black horse could have
wheeled and broken through, but be
realized that his race was run. 1t
was bright moonlight, aud he stood
blowing the steam from his nostrils,
and his head was never held higher.
His limbs trembled, but with weak
ness instead of fright. His eyes had
lost their FIRE. but the race he had
run was to be talked about for 20
years to come.
Suddenly three OF four men began
to whirl their lassoes and others pre-
pared to shoot, and it was then that
the black horse uttered a sobbing
neigh, tossed his proud head high and
sank down with sigh and was dead
ere any man had laid hand on his
forelock. Captivity was not for MIN.