Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-12-19

/ said and here's a bit OF drink
money. Now, where are my men,"
Don't know. In the lookup, reck-
on"
'How's that?"
why, you see, Meeker tells the
fellows here he has a warrant for you
that you're the gang of burglars
that's wanted for the PARROT murder
And he had to show the constable and
the landlord and some others the war
rant, too"
How many we're hurt2"
six or seven. Two of your fellows
looked pretty bad when they we're
carried out"
We turned down a by-street, but as
soon as the guard had disappeared we
retraced our steps and fastened to
the Thatcher stables.
The rain was whipped into our faces
as we bent against the wind, and the
whish and roar of the gale among the
trees and the rattle of loose boards
and tins, as they were tossed and
shaken behind the houses, gave a mel
ancholy accompaniment to our hasty
march.
We nearly missed the stable in the
darkness, AMI il was several minutes
before we reused Thatcher to a state
in which he could put together the
two ideas that we wanted to get in,
and that it was his place to get up and
let US in.
"Horses to-night?" he gasped, throw
ing up his hands. Holy Moses!
couldn't think of letting the worst
plug of the lot out in this storm"
"Well, | want your best"
you'll have to do it, Dick" said
Fitzhugh with few words of expla-
nation. He'll make it all right for
you"
where are you going?" asked
Thatcher.
"Oakland"
He threw up his hands once more.
"Great Scott! you can't do it. The
horses can't travel so miles at night
and in this weather. You'd best wait
for the morning train. The express
will be through here before s."
II hesitated a moment, but the
chances of being stopped were too
great
Il must CO." / said decidedly. Il
can't wait here"
81 have it," said Thatcher. by
hard riding you can get to Niles in
time to catch the freight as it goes
up from San Jose. 1t will get down
in time for the first boat, if that's
what you want"
Good! How far is it?"
I'VE call it 18 miles--it's over that
by the road. There's only one nasty
bit. That's in the canyon"
Il think we shall need the pleasure
of your company" l said
ITS a bad job, but if you must, you
must" he groaned. And he soon had
three horses under the saddle.
l eyed the beasts with some dis.
favor. They were evidently half-mus-
tang, and l thought understood for
such a journey. But / was to learn
before the night was out the virtues
of strength and endurance that lie in
the blood of the Indian horse.
Hist! What's that?" said Fitz
hugh, extinguishing the light.
The voices of the storm and the IN
easy champing OF the horses were the
only sounds that rewarded minutes
listening
I'VE must chance 1t" said !, after
looking cautiously into the darkness
and finding no signs of foe.
And in a moment more we were
galloping down the street, the hoof-
beats scarcely sounding in the soft
ened earth Of the roadway. Not a
word was spoken after the start as we
turned through the side streets to
avoid the approaches to the hotel.
Thatcher suddenly turned to the west,
and in another minute we were on
the open highway, with the steady
beat of the horses hoofs splashing
a wild rhythm on the muddy road.
With the town once behind us, felt
my spirits rise with every stroke OF
the horses hoofs beneath me. The
rain and the wind were friends rather
than foes Yet my arm panied me
sharply and was forced to carry
the reins in the whip hand Here the
road was broader, and we rode three
abreast, silent, watchful, each busy
with his own thought, and all alert
for the signs of chase behind.
"There!" said Thatcher, suddenly
pulling his horse up to a walk Were
five miles out, and they've got a big
piece to make up if they're on our
track. Wen. breathe the horses a
bit"
The beasts were painting little, but
chafed at the bits as we walked them
and tossed their heads uneasily to
the pelting of the storm.
"Hark!" / cried did you hear
that?" l was almost certain that the
sound of a faint halloo came from be-
hind us. / was not alone in the
thought
The dern fools!" said Fitzhugh.
They want long chase, | guess, to
go through the country Yelling like a