The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-28

had no feAR My government position
4 would again protect inc, and what
4 ever time tey hndcrcd me Jack would
also gain from them,
An we approached got the hating
signal, bur the little mare rushed
ahead, alil6, unmlndful of their shout.
Ing aud my hand. Two men dismount.
ed hurriedly and made n rush for my
bride as We passed. In fash Coren.
cas- flghtlng blood was up, and, with
gnaehlng teath and eyes like drag
pn's, she uns upon and over them
and dashed ahead. A dozen mounted
men spurrnd after ug with the net.
They nigh. ~ well have chased the
wind, for the very dust from the little
mares fecf foil short OF their leader.
they durc not shoot lest Uncle Sam
should heGv tho echo presently and
only wastes little time for Jack 10
profit by.
Once cleU OF pursuit Corenca fell
on little IN her speed. but not In her
Independence, aS ! quickly learned In
my first fttcmpt 70 Juggle with the
reina Arm all. why should | not let
her have lssr way now that no special
cause for gpeed bursts lay aheadf She
was wil!ul child Of the plains, Let
her sweep Them to suit her fancy. She
would losT no time and perhaps. better
than |. cotid Judge OF her own endur.
ance. No we left the dubious miles
behind Uy In pursuit OF the miles
ahead thns skc rapidly found and con.
quered oEN by one. Sometimes tho
pace was moderate canter, some.
times swM IN the wind. but watched
the ianke beneath me In vain for d Ia
bored bretth. She seemed TO temper
her speed 10 the limit OF what she
could cvfurc without drawing upon
that ww'Jerful reserve force that
made her 1t once the pride and the
terror Of Qrn plains.
NO thi.fy odd miles lay behind us
presently, and the game little beast
had dra~h up only once for drink as
she for6sl stream. Still, more than
one siga row told me that she had
made hts run nj an awful expense to
herself Once she began TO show IA.
tiguc. II seemed as II her dissolution
was TO ~ M rapid IN her flight had
been, TtG wiliful iiirt Of her head she
had left niles behind, and abe STUN.
bied lfTlT sometimes as she still gal.
loped ffffe,rully on. Each breath was
a heave nad gasp now, and the white
foam thar fell from her mouth was oc.
easionai4y colorcd with red. Should
dismowst and feed her or try TO crowd
her thrsuahi Back among the noun.
tain cmyfns ! could see q kindly, rug
ged face. now stern and resolute, at
bay. ttosore me, only few miles
ahead. Jay Haiseyyille and rescue. Al.
ready | tbuld almost zee the stately
mayor End a few chosen friends rush.
Ing away VII their errand Of mercy and
justice. For could I quite forget the
sweet etced girl. In whose eye tear
had stoed 20 close behind the laugh she
had given Jack at parting. And It oil
tempted me forward. Still, II would be
q foolish thing to ruin all so near my
journeys end by letting my now suf-
fcring ik,rse 50 of from her feet for
want Of few minutes rest.
CoreptA stood quiet enough now,
with hena down and heaving sides, but
with the fire still unquenched In her
flashing eyes. Reluctantly dlsmount.
cd and loosened the saddle girth n lit
tie. Then sight met my eyes that
stayed my hand at the fastenlngs while
| looked again. to bring me a moment
later back into my seat, For the first
time that day urged Corenca beyond
the limit OF her chosen speed. and right
nobly did she struggle to respond. But
the hcaving sides told their own story
of q conquered body still reellng for
ward under the impetus OF an unyleld-
ing will. Poor, faithful servant! II
was, then, 10 be race to the death
of my horse or my friend-and in that
choice OF course the dumb brute had
/ to lose.
Now that the decision had been fore
ed upon mo I spared the use of neither
whip nor spur upon Corenca-C Corenca,
to whom no one had ever before dared
to teach the use of either. No more
thought of trying to save her-Just to
get the last ounce out Of her before she
fell. Far ahead, just leaving Halsey-
vile. could sec queer little red spot
rushing toward us, which realized to
be the mayors automobile, bearing him
rapidly away to neighboring town.
For n few miles his route lay straight
toward me, but presently the road
forked, and the red spot would bear
out OF reach the one man whose pres
ence would awe Jacks pursuers into
submission at a word. If could reach
those forks In time 1t would save me
smart little ride to the town, IL failed
I feared me much that all my efforts
were doomed to failure--that the game
was up. Well, II would never be Co
rencas fault As noted her trembling
and unsteady gait could not but hope
that when she did go down she would
be out of her misery soon. Again and