The Washington times., 1906-02-04
THE KING OF THE DROVE.

the chase began The wild horse did
not dash away in panic ON the con
trary he struck "a gait that just kept
him well aheaL OF the rider. ana not
once in d run If City miles was ne seen
TO break that gait. Then he turned
aside into the scrub and WAS hunted for
for two hours In vain. He drank and
fed and rsStaf- and then he charged one
OF his puTEu-Ts. dragged him for rods
Ia his teeth. and resumed MS gallOp up
the valley.
The nignt was turned into DAY by "a
bright noon. and the plan was 10 give
the horse no rest. After covering eighty
miles I've disappeared IS shadows come
and 60 and his pursuers had TO go into
cam-.
Next morning. as the east was pur-
ping. the horse came out az the dark
ravine n which he had rested in safety
and licked up his heels as a challenge.
On that DAY he exhibited his powers of
speed and endurance as " prlding him
self upon them. Without a moment s
rest. without uibble az the sweet grass
or touching his nose 10 The waters OF
the many brooks, he gaIloped distance
Of 10 miles. No pursuing rider came
within pistol shot OF him At night he
again Disappeared and the opening OF
the thir dag say him as fresh as ever.
PERHAPS the gray horse had reasoned
81 ont during the hours Of darkness.
His enemies were too many for him
His drove had been killed OF, ana be
was all alone to contend with the
Vaccinations OF man. he might evade
them for a few days and remain in the
valley where be was born. and where
ne knew every foot of the ground, but
ia the end ne must DE captured.
There was another valley lying ten
miles 10 the east. The way 10 % led
through n-rrow and rugged defle in
the mountains. He -dd led his drove
through that deflle once and caught the
odor of the bear and the mountain lion
and been made afraid Now he must
chance IL without company lie tfembled
more Al the recollection OF that odor
than h. did at sight OF men Little Jimr
was given him for planning As soon
as he appeared in sight signals We're
made and the pursuit taken I'D
The gray horse started of with a
/ burst of speed that elected cheers oi
admiration from the men. They COM
pared II TO the flight of cannon ball.
| He had ten miles 10 20 10 reach the
pass. and "A bird could hardly have made
the distance sooner The men had not
provided for the fugitive leaving the
! valley. and there was no one 10 oppose
/ him as he wheeled into the pass and
I found the broad light OF day turned
I into twilight
After going q few hundred feet he
halted. His pursuers had seen him
make the pass. and he could hear their
shouts afar of. but he did not like the
twilight. 1t was uucanny. There was
/ d 4ouesOTneness about it Evil spirits
seem 10 be- isroodinE in the rugged and
narrow way. and the gray horse went
slowly ahead.
He heard the water dripping from the
rocky sides. he heard the whine OF
covotes and the growl OF "a WOLF that
had sucaked into the pass as dav broke
He caught the odor Of pine and cedar
and tried 20 feel confidence i'm himself
Half way through the pass widened
out ana the sunshine filtered t1oUr,
The ETSV horse paused here 10 listen
for sounds OF pursuit In z tree above
him a mountain lion Law extended on a
/ limb. The coming OF the horse had
driven him IN there
lhere was no snarlinE-nO growing
no sounds OF claws against bark 10 wsrr
the gray horse a body suddenly de-
scendeo on his back. a great blow strrIrt
him a fatal blow on the head. and 4
fierce-eyed beast stood with his paws OF
the dead horse and growled defiance a,
the men who came up the pass. The
ne OF the graI horse had gone out, bu;
OF man. "a